Letting Go
by Poetgirl925
Summary: When her life starts to unravel both personally and professionally, Chloe learns that letting go of the past is the best way to embrace the future.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - First a note to all the Bones fans who have me on author alert - this is a story about the Smallville fandom, specifically a fanfic on the Chlollie (Chloe and Oliver) relationship. If you don't know about it, you should really check out a Chlollie video or two on YouTube. The characters are wonderfully complicated, rather like Booth and Brennan, and the 'ship has so many, many possibilities that it's a dream for fanfic writers. I will have an update on 'Dungeon' by tomorrow - it would have been up before now but Chapters 40 and 41 bit the dust during a McAfee file cleanup and it took a couple of weeks for me to have the time to work on them again.**

**Now, to the Smallville fandom - this is my first foray into writing for Smallville so any constructive feedback would be appreciated. I don't know the SV world nearly so well as I do Bones, so I'm a bit nervous about this. Chloe has been my favorite character since season 1 though and I hope I capture the characters well. This story picks up shortly after the events of 'Siren' in season 7 and goes AU after that - if there's anyone out there who knows the SV world well and wouldn't mind me bouncing ideas around, asking questions, etc., please let me know. :)**

Chloe Sullivan liked to think of herself as an optimist. Sure, there were moments when optimism was overrated and she was, if nothing else, a master at wielding snark at said moments. However, the way her life was going lately gave her a less than rosy view of things. She could feel a headache coming on as she listened to Clark Kent pour his heart out about his current relationship troubles with Lana Lang for what felt like the thousandth time. To say she was tired of being the soundingboard for these heartfelt rants was an understatement and she wondered, also for the thousandth time, if Clark and Lana would ever get their issues straightened out. Preferably before she had to buy stock in a company that produced migraine medications.

"Look, Clark, I understand why you're feeling insecure about the situation with Lana, but don't you think you should be talking to her about this?" Chloe pushed away from her desk and headed to the breakroom. _If only there were a way to mainline espresso_, she thought wistfully. Now that was a lab effort she could totally be on board with, if only Lex Luthor's endeavors were so innocent.

"I'm sorry," Clark said guiltily. "I know it seems like I dump this on you all the time I just... don't have anyone else to talk to about these things."

Chloe felt herself caving under the force of his puppy dog eyes. Would there ever be a time when he wouldn't affect her like that? She could only pray there would be. She poured coffee into a mug and took a sip, grimacing slightly. Not the best, but she needed the caffeine if she hoped to meet her deadline tonight and she'd had far too little sleep the previous night.

As if reading her thoughts Clark asked, "Are you ok? You seem really out of it today."

Chloe rubbed her fingers against her temple as she leaned back against the counter and took another sip of the strong brew. "I'm fine, I just had a really late night. Oliver needed my help with something."

Clark's expression shifted into one of disapproval. "Chloe, I really don't think it's a good idea for you to get involved with what he's doing. It's dangerous and he didn't exactly look after you so well the last time."

"It's not like I'm suiting up and jumping into the middle of the action," she responded lightly. "Even Oliver agreed after the incident with our little songbird that it was better for me to work behind the scenes. He just needed some technical support, that's all."

Clark snorted. "He has Victor for that. He offered you a place on his team again, didn't he?"

"He offered both of us a place," Chloe pointed out. "Just because I turned down the permanent job offer doesn't mean I can't help him out when he needs it. I'm saving the world _and_ keeping myself in fabulous footwear. I mean come on, Clark, aren't these babies worth it?" She held out a foot to show off the new boots she'd purchased a week ago.

Clark's disapproving look changed to one of amusement and he sighed. "Fine, just let me know if he's into anything more dangerous than usual. I'm assuming they're still shutting down 33.1 locations?"

Chloe nodded, lowering her own voice to match Clark's softer tone. "They found a new one in Germany, so I was running a diagnostic of the location's security last night. Between me and Victor, I'm pretty sure we can shut down the firewall and the security system. Oliver wants to go in tonight, which means I have a couple more hours to finish my article and then I need to get to the Clocktower and set up."

Clark's eyebrows rose into his hairline. "Oliver gave you a keycard to his penthouse? When did that happen?"

Chloe laughed. "Mind out of the gutter, Clark. He gave it to me when I agreed to help him on a freelance basis. It's secure and I don't always have the privacy I need at home with Lois around."

Clark held her gaze thoughtfully and Chloe resisted the urge to squirm. Finally he said, "Why don't I help you with the article? We can get through it faster together and then I'll take you over to the Clocktower."

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Won't Lana be lonely on the farm without you?"

Clark looked away. "I think we could both use an evening apart right now."

Rather than open that can of worms again, Chloe looped her arm through his. "I won't turn down help from the guy who can speed read." They settled back at her desk and soon they were working quietly but steadily. When Clark got up to refill their coffee cups, she found her mind wandering as she thought back to the night that Oliver had given her the keycard, the same night that Dinah had confronted her on the rooftop of the Daily Planet.

_They leaned over the edge of the building, watching as the mysterious woman made her escape. Chloe looked at Oliver as he pushed his hood back and removed his sunglasses. "We were barely introduced," he said, looking over to meet her gaze._

_Chloe straightened up, wincing as pain shot through her ribs. She raised her fingers to her stinging cheek, only to find Oliver's hand was quicker. He tilted her head slightly, concern on his face as he assessed her injury. "Are you ok?" he asked._

_She felt warmth flooding her as his fingers ran gently across her cheekbone. _Ok, that's both unexpected and unwelcome, _she thought as she stepped away from him and smiled. "I'm fine - as Sidekick-related injuries go, this one is barely a blip on the radar." She walked over to gather up her spilled belongings before walking back to where Oliver stood. _

_Oliver didn't look convinced. "I can call Emil to check you out," he said. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"_

_Chloe prodded her ribs gingerly before shaking her head. "I think I'm going to have an interesting and colorful bruise here, but nothing earth shattering." She jumped when his hand suddenly replaced her own against her ribs. "Ok seriously, personal space is nice. I'm fine, Oliver." _

_He suddenly pulled his hood up and replaced his sunglasses before shooting an arrow across to an adjacent rooftop. Before she had time to react, he wrapped one strong arm around her waist, carefully lifting her up against him. "Hold on," he said, stepping up onto the ledge. She barely had time to loop her arms around his neck before they were zipping through the air. Chloe closed her eyes and turned her face against his shoulder. She was still clinging to him tightly when she heard him speak. She raised her head and looked at him. "What?"_

_His mouth quirked up slightly. "I said you can let go now."_

_Chloe swallowed hard and looked around her; they were now standing on the balcony of the Clocktower. She forced her fingers to release their claw-like grip on his shoulders and Oliver gently lowered her to stand before him. She took a shaky breath and when she tried to step away from him, she found her legs were not as steady as she'd like._

_Oliver reached out to grasp her elbow. "You ok there, Sidekick?" His expression was one of fullblown amusement now, which Chloe found irritating._

_"How about next time you fly solo and I walk... or take a cab," Chloe said, shooting him a disgruntled look. "Honestly, between you and Clark and Bart, I'm going to need a portable defibrillator before I'm 25."_

_Oliver ushered her inside, tossing his sunglasses on his desk as he moved toward the secret room behind the clock face. Chloe dropped her ruined bag on a stool by the bar and tried to decide if she should stand or sit. She felt awkward here, out of place, and she wondered why Oliver had brought her back to the penthouse. The answer to that question came a few minutes later when Oliver emerged from the hidden room wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt, carrying a first aid kit._

_Oliver motioned for her to sit on one of the stools at the bar as he opened the kit. Chloe sighed, guessing the sooner she complied, the sooner she could get out of there and go home. She tried to hop up onto one of the high stools and winced as the action pulled at her bruised ribs. She gasped as Oliver placed his hands under her arms and gently lifted her to sit on the stool. _

_"This is completely unnecessary," Chloe said as he began to dab gently at her cheek with a damp cloth. _

_"You got hurt on my watch, so I'm going to have to disagree with you there," he replied. He stepped closer as he held an antiseptic pad to her cheek. She drew in a quick breath as the sting registered and her eyes watered momentarily before she squeezed them shut._

_"Sorry," she heard him murmer as his other hand came up to rest against the side of her neck. His thumb began to rub soothing circles against her collarbone. _

_Chloe was beginning to react to his proximity in an entirely female way, which was wrong on too many levels to go into. _Focus, Sullivan_, she reprimanded herself. Ok, so it was understandable - after all, he was Oliver Queen for God's sake. There probably wasn't a woman between the ages of 15 and 85 who wouldn't react physically if he were standing this close. She forced herself to think of something else, anything else - like Clark, Jimmy and Lois, three very good reasons for her to get a grip._

_She opened her eyes to find Oliver staring at her, his expression strangely intense. "You look serious," he said. "What are you thinking about?"_

_"Uh, Jimmy... I had to cancel our dinner plans tonight," she said. It was the truth, but she felt slightly guilty because at the moment it was hard to care about that._

_Something in Oliver's expression changed and he stepped away from her as he reached for the first aid kit again, this time pulling out a tube of antiseptic cream. "Sorry if the Sidekick duties are cutting into your social life. I take it Jimmy doesn't know anything?"_

_Chloe shook her head as he dabbed the cream on her cheek. "That's a conversation I don't even know how to start - plus, I'm keeping a lot of secrets for other people and they're not my secrets to tell, you know? Even if I trusted him with the information, I can't make that decision for Clark or for you and the team."_

_Oliver capped the tube of antiseptic cream before placing it back in the first aid kit. He turned to look at her as he said, "So you don't trust him enough to tell him now?"_

_She sighed as she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know - maybe if it were only putting me at risk, but I'd never forgive myself if I did something to hurt Clark, or you and the guys. And what you're doing - what I'm helping you with - it's more important than a few cancelled dinner plans." She tilted her head to look at him again, noting the odd expression on his face. "What?"_

_He shook his head. "I'm just surprised, I guess. Most people don't have that sort of altruistic outlook. Have you given any more thought to joining the team on a more permanent basis? We could really use you, although I think from now on I'll keep you behind the computers."_

_"Tempting though the offer is, Clark needs me here. And the thought of explaining to Lois the reasons why I'm suddenly globetrotting with you is enough to keep me awake at night. I have enough trouble keeping her out of the apartment when I'm helping you in my Watchtower capacity."_

_"Now that's something I can help with." Oliver walked over to his desk and returned holding a computerized keycard. "I was going to give you this anyway. It's the keycard to the Clocktower elevator and this is the code for the penthouse. Whenever you're doing research or mission oversight, I want you to do it here. It's secure and you won't have to worry about Lois nosing around - although if you want to tell her that you're helping me, that's ok too. She doesn't know I'm the Green Arrow but I think she'd buy that you're helping me out with computer programming on a freelance basis."_

_Chloe took the keycard from him, surprised that he trusted her enough to allow her this kind of access to his life. "I'll think about it, but sometimes the less Lois knows, the more sanity I retain. She takes her role as the older cousin just a little too seriously sometimes."_

_"I think I can handle Lois," Oliver said with a smile. He watched as she put her coat back on. "Hey Chloe, I know that Clark's situation is... different and he needs you, but don't forget the other people in your life who need you too. You deserve to be happy and sometimes it seems like your friendship with Clark isn't exactly balanced. I can be a good listener if you need to talk."_

_Chloe regarded him with surprise, not doubting the sincerity behind his words. "You know, you're completely trashing your careless playboy image right now. Good thing you know I can keep a secret." _

Chloe smiled as she recalled that night and the way he'd laughed at her teasing. Oliver had definitely managed to surprise her, something she hadn't been expecting from him. She looked up as Clark returned with her coffee. "What, no caffeine jolt for you?" she asked, smiling up at him. Her smile faded as she took in his tense, rather guilty expression.

"Lana called," he said. "She wants to talk."

Chloe looked back at the papers in front of her. "Clark, I get it and it's fine. You guys should talk. I'm almost finished here anyway and I don't really need your help with the computer hacking later - no offense." She looked up and saw the relieved expression on his face.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow then. Call me if the team needs help tonight." With that he was gone and Chloe sighed before tackling the papers in front of her again. Two hours later she was finished and hurrying out the door, running later than she'd like given the mission she needed to be ready for that night. She heard someone call her name as she waited for the elevator - turning, she saw Jimmy walking toward her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking confused. "I thought you were going to wait for me to finish so we could have dinner and catch the late movie."

Chloe felt dismay sweep through her as she realized she had forgotten about their rescheduled plans. "Jimmy, I'm so sorry but..."

"You have to reschedule," he finished for her. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Is it because of Clark?"

"What? No, Clark is at the farm with Lana as far as I know," she answered. "I really am sorry and I'll make it up to you." She felt her phone buzz and looked at the screen to see Oliver's name flashing. She looked up at Jimmy, only to realize that he had also seen the name.

Jimmy's eyebrows shot up. "Oliver Q. - as in Queen? Since when do you get calls from Oliver Queen?"

"I'm doing some computer programming for him on a freelance basis," she said. "Unfortunately, there's an emergency with the program I was working on."

"OK," Jimmy said slowly. "So the CEO of Queen Industries is looking to you for computer help? Doesn't he have a whole IT department dedicated to that sort of thing? No offense, I know you're good with computers, but I don't get why he'd be calling you personally."

Chloe felt her phone buzz again and looked between it and Jimmy. "Jimmy, can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm sorry but I really have to go."

Jimmy's expression shut down and he shrugged. "Yeah sure, we'll talk about it tomorrow."

Chloe smiled hesitantly at Jimmy as she answered the phone. "Oliver, I'm leaving the Planet now so I'll call you back as soon as I'm online, ok?" She stepped onto the elevator as she listened to Oliver's response, watching the doors slide shut as Jimmy turned and walked away. She felt nervous - she knew that Jimmy was upset with her right now and she couldn't blame him. She leaned back against the elevator walls - how had her life gotten so complicated?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted, favorited, etc. It means a lot that there is a good deal of interest in this story. If you like it and have an opinion, please let me know what you think. I respond to all messages and reviews on my stories. Again, I'm trying to stay true to the spirit of the characters here, so feedback on how I'm doing is greatly appreciated :)**

Chloe tried to push through her sleep deprivation the next morning. It had been a long night spent hacking the facility in Germany; they'd had a scare when an unanticipated failsafe had popped up, trapping Victor in the control room he had gained access to. Chloe had to call upon all of her skills to bypass it, allowing Victor to make an escape before the guards arrived. In the end Victor had accessed the mainframe while the others set the charges to blow the main lab facility. There had been no prisoners to release this time; it seemed that this facility had been used strictly for research and not for observation and testing.

Chloe had taken advantage of Oliver's offer to stay at the penthouse that night rather than making the drive back to Smallville. She'd started her morning by attending a journalism class, followed by a meeting with her advisor. They were nearing the end of the term and he'd wanted to talk to her about the classes she planned to register for during the next term. She looked over the class list once more, wondering how she would manage to make it work with all of her other responsibilities. She was already operating on an average of 5-6 hours of sleep on any given day.

She stifled a yawn as she made a stop at her favorite coffee shop for her usual almond mocha. She picked up the copy of the Daily Planet at the counter and flipped through it to find the article she had completed the day before. Her brows drew together as she looked once and then again, failing to find what she was searching for. On her third pass through the pages she felt anger and frustration building within her. It appeared that Lex had exercised his editorial rights again, electing not to use the piece she'd spent the past three days working on. He'd been doing that a lot lately, making sure she was only assigned unimportant research articles. She knew it was a power play and he enjoyed keeping her under his thumb. Not for the first time, she considered abandoning her internship with the Daily Planet. It was tempting, but she'd be damned if she let Lex see that he was getting to her.

Her mood now thoroughly in the black, she pushed open the doors of the Planet and took the elevator to the basement, heading toward her desk with clacking steps that emphasized her aggravation. She paused as she neared her desk to find a huge arrangement of tulips waiting for her, as well as a small, wrapped package. It wasn't her birthday or Valentine's Day - there was no occasion she could think of that would warrant gifts. She set her coffee on the desk and plucked the card from its spot near the base, thinking maybe she'd misjudged Jimmy's ire the previous evening.

_An impulsive friend told me that tulips were your flower of choice - I hope he was right. Thanks again for your help last night, we couldn't have done it without you. I hope you took advantage of my offer to stay at the penthouse. Feel free to use it whenever you'd like. If you're feeling the loss of sleep this morning, the other package should help. _

_Ollie_

Chloe opened the package, wondering what he could possibly have sent her. Her jaw dropped when she spied the premium coffee label staring back at her. This was the kind of coffee she dreamed about but rarely had a chance to sample, given her budget. _He's certainly found a way to this girl's heart_, she thought with a smile. She couldn't wait to get home so she could have the chance to brew a pot. Her musings were interrupted when she saw Jimmy approaching her desk. He looked upset - no, he looked downright angry. She felt a knot of anxiety form in her stomach as she wondered what she'd forgotten this time.

His expression grew darker as he noted the expensive coffee that Chloe was holding. Nodding toward the flowers, he asked, "So, coffee and flowers are the going rate for computer programming assistance? Kind of hard to make the rent with that, isn't it?"

Chloe's brows drew together. "You read the card? That is not ok, Jimmy. Why would you go snooping through my things?"

Jimmy snorted. "You have to ask? Come on, Chloe, it's not like last night's cancelled plans were the first and they probably won't be the last. I thought Clark was my biggest worry and now you're getting personal calls and flowers from a billionaire playboy. What am I supposed to think?"

"I don't know, Jimmy - that I'm telling you the truth when I say it was business?"

Jimmy laughed. "Business - the kind that apparently compels him to hand over a key to his penthouse? Which is where I'm guessing you were last night since you weren't at home."

"He wasn't even there, Jimmy. He gave me the keycard so I could use his computers for a work-related purpose. And yes, I stayed because I was working on the program until nearly 4:00 this morning, so I'm tired and not in the mood to appreciate the Olsen version of the Inquisition."

"But you are in the mood for him - don't think I didn't notice how fast you ran out of here when he called last night." Jimmy's voice was rising and Chloe glanced around the room, noticing that several of their co-workers were now showing a lot of interest in what was going on between them.

"Are you listening to yourself? Do you really think that I'm having a long distance, clandestine affair with Oliver Queen?" She could see his expression shift slightly as he acknowledged the ludicrousness of that statement. Ok, so it was slightly galling how ludicrous it actually was, but surely Jimmy had to see that his suspicions were completely unfounded.

"Chloe, what I think is that I really have no idea what's going on in your life. Fine, maybe you really were helping him with business, but you can't tell me that your relationship isn't friendlier than that. He clearly feels comfortable enough to send personal gifts and I don't think the fact that he dated your cousin two years ago quite explains that. If you're friends then why do I feel like it's something you were hiding?"

Chloe opened her mouth to try and explain, only to close it again. How much to tell him and how much to hide? It was always the same question and meanwhile the knot in her stomach was growing to epic proportions. Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Clark and Lois exiting the elevator. "Oh, God," she muttered. "Jimmy, can we talk about this later?"

Jimmy gestured angrily at the flowers on her desk. "No, we'll talk about it now. I'm tired of waiting for later."

"Jimmy, this isn't really the time or the place," she said as she watched the approach of her cousin and her best friend. She really didn't need either of them witnessing their argument.

Jimmy followed her gaze. "Why, because of Clark? Maybe he needs to hear this too, Chloe, because I'm tired of coming in dead last in your life and as far as I can tell, he's a big part of that problem."

Chloe raised a hand to her throbbing temple and took a calming breath. "It's not like that."

"Then tell me what it's like," he insisted. "Go on Chloe, this should be good." There was dead silence in their section of the newsroom at this point and Chloe saw Lois's expression veering toward antagonistic as she got close enough to hear Jimmy yelling at her.

"Jimmy, please," she hissed, stepping close enough to put her hand on his arm, only to have him jerk away from her, sending her stumbling back a step. Suddenly Clark was there, a concerned expression on his face, while Lois marched straight up between Jimmy and Chloe.

"What the hell, Olsen?" she demanded angrily.

"Exactly what I've been asking Chloe," he shot back. "Only she never has any answers for me."

"Have you been bodysnatched or did you just do a whole lot of drugs this morning?" Lois looked like she was contemplating taking a swing at Jimmy as Chloe stepped forward and linked her arm firmly with Lois'.

"Lois, we really don't need the intervention." Chloe smiled brightly before turning to Clark. "What brings you two down here today?"

Clark shifted his gaze between Chloe and Jimmy. "Lois has that interview, remember? We were going to have lunch afterward."

"Oh, right - sorry, with everything going on lately I guess I forgot." Chloe rubbed her temple again, the knot in her stomach growing teeth and claws as it settled in. She looked over at Jimmy and said, "Maybe another day would be better..."

"Oh don't cancel on my account," Jimmy interrupted with a harsh laugh. "We're done here, so take your flowers and your fancy coffee and have a great life. Oh and Clark, you have some competition now so don't be surprised when she flakes on you too."

Lois tried to go after him but Chloe pulled her back. "Lois, I really don't think you going after him is a good idea."

"Oh, I think it's a great idea. Who the hell does he think he is, yelling at you like that? And did he just break up with you in the middle of the newsroom, in front of everyone, while accusing you of - ok, I have no idea what he was accusing you of, but it's not ok, Chloe!"

Chloe shot Clark a pleading look. "Clark, a little help here?"

Clark opened his mouth but Lois interrupted. "Yeah, Smallville, how about you put those hay-bale toting muscles to work - not that I really need any help kicking that scrawny photographer's a-"

"Ok! Lois, you have an interview remember? Can we please just talk about this later?" Chloe glanced around at their audience. "If we keep this up here, they're going to start selling tickets and popcorn."

Lois put her hands on her hips as she regarded her little cousin. "Fine, but we're talking about this as soon as I'm done with that interview."

Chloe watched as Lois walked away before turning back to her desk and sitting down, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. "Well that was fun," she said wryly.

Clark sat next to her and leaned forward as she opened her eyes. "What's going on? What I just saw - that definitely wasn't like Jimmy."

Chloe saw his eyes taking in the flowers on her desk and the coffee she was holding, his gaze questioning. She sighed and handed him the card that came with the flowers.

Clark read the card and then lifted his gaze back to hers. "This is because of Oliver?"

"It's because of all of it, Clark - you, Oliver, the whole complicated mess. Have you ever stopped to think about how all of that affects my life? I mean, I just got dumped - publicly, I might add - by Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy, one of the nicest, most laid back guys I've ever met now hates me and I will forever be known as the girl who turned him into a paranoid jerk." She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes again. "This officially ranks in the top five worst days of my life - and that's saying something, considering how many bad days I've had growing up in Smallville." Chloe took another deep breath and stood, grabbing her coat and purse.

"Where are you going?" Clark asked.

"Can you just tell Lois I'll see her at home? I can't stay here right now and I'm definitely not hungry. I just need some time to myself to think, ok?" She didn't wait for an answer as she headed for the elevators. What she really needed was sleep - maybe if she rested for a couple of hours she'd be ready to handle the questions she was sure Lois would have. She had almost made it out the front doors of the Planet when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She stopped, turning to see Lex approaching her with a smirk on his face.

"I heard I missed quite the performance downstairs, Ms. Sullivan, so I thought I would remind you that this is the Daily Planet, not a sideshow."

Chloe forced a careless smile. "And here I thought we could be your followup act, Lex. A few tattoos on your head and you could certainly pass for The Enigma."

His smile disappeared as he regarded her coldly. "Careful - you're not so high up on the food chain here that you can afford to insult the boss. Your work has been subpar at best lately. The article you turned in yesterday wasn't really up to my standards."

"My work isn't the problem Lex - and we both know you don't have standards. I'm a good journalist and your petty power plays aren't going to change that." She turned to walk away, only to stop as Lex called after her.

"You may be a good journalist, but it will be hard to convince people of that without a byline. I'm sensing that most of your articles won't meet the journalistic standard of this publication."

Chloe looked back at him; he was enjoying this, that much was clear. Before she could lose her nerve, she said, "Then I guess I should thank you for your help with my decision."

A smile played at the corners of his lips again. "And what decision would that be?"

"I quit." Holding her head high, she walked out the doors of the Daily Planet, praying she hadn't just made the biggest mistake of her life.

**We have more Chlollie coming up - I just need time to set up the story so that the reasons behind Chloe's later decisions are clear to all. Oliver will be making his debut by Chapter 4 at the latest. But first, Chloe has a heart-to-heart with both Lois and Clark, and Lois has a life-changing suggestion for Chloe. I'll have it up soon :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again to all of you who have alerted and favorited this story, it means a lot. Special thanks to those who took the time to review - I like knowing what you think, good or bad. This chapter was pretty emotional for the characters so it was tricky to write; I hope I did it justice. I don't have a Beta, so any mistakes are my own. I'm still looking for someone who has a good knowledge of the Smallville universe who wouldn't mind me asking occasional questions or bouncing some ideas their way - I spend a lot of time thinking about character motivation in my stories, so having someone to discuss it with always helps. If you're interested please let me know. :)**

**Disclaimer: Definitely don't own the characters of Smallville - I **_**really**_** wish I owned Green Arrow/Oliver Queen, for purely recreational reasons :P**

Chloe entered the Talon apartment and went back to her bedroom, collapsing on her bed. She stared at the ceiling and tried to make her brain connect the dots of the events of the day. It seemed unlikely that so much could go wrong in such a short time, even by Smallville standards. _What the hell do I do now_, she wondered. She didn't have a job and she felt sure that Lex would blackball her with any other paper in the area she might want to write for. Of course, Oliver paid her well for the work that she did for him and her savings would get her by for a while, but then what? Should she take Oliver up on his offer to join the team permanently? If she did that, she knew it would mean turning her back on a career in journalism and she wasn't so sure she was ready to say goodbye to her childhood dreams just yet. She was no closer to an answer when she heard the front door open and Lois call her name.

Chloe sighed. "In here," she called, not bothering to get up. A moment later Lois opened the door and walked into the bedroom, moving across the room to sit on the bed beside Chloe. Neither spoke for a few moments and then Lois reached over and took Chloe's hand, squeezing it.

"I'm sorry," Lois said, sympathy apparent on her features.

Chloe felt tears stinging her eyes again as she forced a smile. "It was bound to happen at some point. We both know that Lex only kept me around at the Planet so he could keep an eye on me, not to mention that he enjoyed having some power over me. From the moment he took the helm my career there was over anyway."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't suck," Lois said. "Lex will get his, and if I can help with that then so much the better."

"Lois, I'd rather you didn't tangle with Lex on my behalf, not over this anyway," Chloe replied. She took a deep breath and then asked, "So, how was the interview?"

Lois hesitated. "They offered me a junior reporter position but I'm going to turn it down."

Chloe sat up and looked at Lois, shaking her head. "You can't do that, Lois. This is your dream too and just because my byline won't be gracing the pages of the Planet anymore doesn't mean that yours can't. You've worked hard for this - take it."

Lois looked at her steadily for a moment. "What are you going to do now?"

Chloe shrugged. "I have some time to figure it out before my financial situation becomes desperate, and I do have one or two options to consider."

Lois reached into her bag and pulled out the card Oliver had sent with the flowers. "Is Oliver one of your options?"

"Lois, I promise it's not what you think..."

"You mean you're not helping Ollie out with his crusade to save the world, one arrow at a time?" Lois interrupted with a knowing look.

Chloe's brows snapped together. "Ok, it's exactly what you think. How long have you known?"

"Since I saw the flowers, coffee and card - I mean, what else would you be helping him with that would require a key to the penthouse? I'm curious though, how long have you known about his green leather fetish?"

"A while," Chloe admitted. "He didn't tell me Lois, it was something I figured out on my own and I didn't even tell him I knew for a long time. It was only when I ran across information that I thought he needed that I let him know I was aware of his extracurricular activities. After that he started paying me to help with research, file decryption, hacking - stuff he can't exactly ask someone at QI for, you know?"

Lois tilted her head and pursed her lips. "You realize I'm kind of upset that you didn't tell me about this once I was in on his little green secret, right? But you've had a really crappy day, so I forgive you and we're moving on now. What about Jimmy? I'm guessing he was in the dark about everything and that was what prompted his little meltdown?"

Chloe sighed. "Jimmy was already jealous of my friendship with Clark and when he realized I was hiding a "friendship" with Oliver Queen he kind of lost it, as you and half the newsroom witnessed."

"Well, not that I don't think think you're better off without him, but was he right to be jealous?"

"Of me and_ Oliver_? You cannot be serious."

Lois waved her hand dismissively. "Not Oliver, although I can see why he didn't like it much. Ollie could make any guy feel inadequate, so of course Jimmy felt jealous. I was talking about your friendship with Clark."

Chloe stared at Lois. She opened her mouth to deny it and then closed it again, leaning back against her pillows. Finally she shook her head. "Believe me, I know it's hopeless and I'm slowly but surely coming to terms with it, but I guess there's a part of me that still can't completely let go of the idea of me and Clark."

Lois leaned back on the pillows with her. "Chloe I get it - he's your best friend and when it comes to your relationship, you two practically have your own code. God knows I have no idea what you two are talking about sometimes and that had to make Jimmy feel insecure. And if I were a betting woman, I'd say Lana doesn't like it much either."

"Clark and Lana are not exactly living in domestic bliss lately, but it has nothing to do with me and Clark," Chloe replied. "They have their own issues they're trying to work out."

"And do you think they're going to be able to do that if you're the one Clark has on speed dial? Chloe... I know you care about him but I'm not sure you're doing either one of you any favors at this point. None of your relationships are going to work if Clark is always waiting in the wings, and Clark should learn to trust Lana if he's going to make that work out."

"Lois, it's more complicated than that."

Lois shook her head. "No, baby cuz, it's really not. If you're going to reclaim your life then you need to take a step back and make some changes - and it just so happens that I have some ideas on how you can do that." She proceeded to outline her plan to an incredulous Chloe.

"Ok Lois, I have no problem with living life by the seat of my pants sometimes, especially since it's practically a prerequisite for life in Smallville, but this seems unnecessarily drastic."

"No, I think it's exactly the right level of drastic. You need a change, a BIG one. You need to take charge of your life again and live it on your terms. With a few phone calls we can make this happen and if you're miserable, you can always make another change. You're still young and nothing in life is fixed except death, taxes, and the implacable will of the Lane-Sullivan women."

Chloe wanted to tell her it was crazy and she couldn't possibly consider it; after all, Clark needed her and so did Oliver. _And what about what you need_, the little voice in her head whispered.

As if sensing that her resolve was wavering, Lois pressed her advantage. "Chloe, you know I would never suggest something that I thought would hurt you. Just think about it, ok? Now, I'm going to go brew some of that ridiculously expensive coffee that Ollie bought you and make dinner."

Chloe raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You're going to cook? Not that I don't appreciate the thought, but the way my day is going that will probably end with the local fire department being called."

Lois rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll order in." She walked out of the bedroom, leaving Chloe to her internal debate. There were more than a few problems with Lois' suggestion but as much as she wanted to dismiss the idea as one of her cousin's harebrained schemes, she just couldn't do it. Because as drastic as it was, she knew it might be exactly the sort of change that she needed.

An hour later she heard Lois call from the front room. "Food's here!" Chloe got up and walked out of her bedroom to find Lois unloading Chinese food from various bags. Lois looked up at her. "I ordered all of our favorites, so what are you in the mood for?"

Chloe took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I think I'm in the mood for a change." She watched as a delighted smile lit up Lois' face and she raised a cautioning finger. "_But_, I have some conditions."

They spent the rest of the evening nailing down the details and making plans. The following morning found both Lois and Chloe making a flurry of calls and by noon, Lois's plan to overhaul Chloe's life was officially underway. Chloe waffled between excitement and a growing sense of dread as she realized that she would need to talk to Clark immediately. Rather than put it off, she asked him to come by the next morning.

Chloe was carrying some empty boxes up the stairs to her apartment when Clark arrived the following morning. He took the boxes from her as they entered the apartment and set them down, looking around in confusion. "Are you and Lois moving?"

Chloe shook her head and braced herself for the following conversation. "Not me and Lois, Clark. Just me."

Clark stared at her. "I heard about what happened with Lex, Chloe. Did you find another job in Metropolis?"

"I do have a new job but it's not in Metropolis. In fact, it's not even in Kansas."

Clark's expression changed from one of confusion to disbelief. "You're joining Oliver's team, aren't you? Chloe..."

"No Clark, this has nothing to do with Oliver. Come sit down with me." They walked over to the sofa and sat down. "Clark, what do you see me doing now that my career path has been derailed?"

"There are other papers here you can work for," he pointed out.

"Like what? _The Inquisitor_? Clark, we both know that_ The Daily Planet _is the best paper - nothing else here compares. And odds are that Lex has blackballed me throughout the entire region anyway, so even if I wanted to try my hand at tabloid trash they probably wouldn't hire me."

"Chloe, you don't have to leave the state. Lana and I can help you. In fact, Lana mentioned that she could use your help with the Isis Foundation. That would be the perfect use of your knowledge and skills, and she can afford to pay you more than you were making at the paper." Clark looked very pleased with this suggestion.

"And how is that any different than me going to work for Oliver?" she asked softly. "The only difference is that I'd be using my skills to help you instead. You've pointed out how dangerous working for Oliver would be, but Clark... I'm in just as much danger here sometimes."

He was silent for a moment. "This is all because of me, isn't it? Chloe... I wish I could say that I regretted you learning about my secret but you're the only person in my life that I feel like I can completely trust. If you leave then I'm alone."

She reached out and took his hands. "Clark, I don't regret learning about your secret and I will always try to help you whenever I can, but you have Lana now too. Don't you think it's time to trust her as much as you trust me?"

"Chloe, you know I want to do that but I just ... I just don't know if I can trust her that much."

Chloe met his gaze. "Clark, you saw what happened with Jimmy. That was a result of secrets and lies and that's what will happen to you and Lana eventually if you can't trust her with everything in your life. You have no future together without trust." She pulled away from him and sat back quietly, wondering if she should even broach the next conversation. _What the hell_, she thought. "Clark, I need to ask you something. You love Lana but you don't feel that you can completely trust her. Why is it that you trusted me to protect your secret and yet you could never love me?" Her heart pounded furiously and her stomach twisted; part of her wished it were possible to snatch the words from the air between them, but she knew this conversation was necessary if she was going to make Clark understand how serious she was about this decision.

Clark looked upset as he answered her. "I do love you, Chloe. You're one of the most important people in my life."

"But you'll never be _in love _with me and we both know that's true. I can't blame my relationship problems with Jimmy entirely on the secrets and lies. The truth is that I was holding back with him because a little piece of me still has feelings for you. I have to let that go Clark, and that's not something you can help me with. Chloe the reporter has been smothered by the Chloe who plays Sidekick to superheroes. I need space to figure out what I want out of my life and you need space to figure out if you can trust Lana to be everything to you that I've tried to be."

They sat together in silence for several minutes and Chloe stared at the partially packed boxes surrounding them. More than the words, the physical evidence of her decision made it real and somehow final. Eventually Clark spoke. "Where are you going, and when?"

Any hope she'd had of a different outcome to this conversation died; she felt the sorrow of that moment bloom, filling the spaces in her being she'd always reserved for him. She swallowed hard as she answered, "I honestly think it's best if I don't tell you that right now, Clark. We both know you'd never be able to resist checking up on me. I'll keep my cell phone though, so any time you need my hacking skills I'm only a phone call away. As for when... I'm leaving this weekend." She saw his hands clench on his knees and she said, "Please understand why I'm doing this. I don't want you to be angry with me."

He kept his eyes on the floor. "I feel like you're abandoning me, Chloe. It's all happening so fast and I don't know what to say to you right now."

Chloe reached out and put one hand over his. "I'm not abandoning you; if you ever need me I will be right back here helping you in any way that I can. I will always try to protect you, Clark. But I need to do this for me." He nodded and with a rush of wind he was gone, leaving her sitting alone on the sofa. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. She had honestly wondered if she would have the strength to get through that conversation. Now that she was alone she let the tears fall freely; she had let go of the last of her ties to Smallville. She only hoped she was making the right choices.

**So next up we have the return of Oliver, we find out where Chloe is and what she's doing, and we'll have some Chlollie. Reviews are love, people :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the delay in updating - I had some trouble laying out this chapter, trying to decide just how far to get into Oliver's head at this point in the story. Anyway, here's what I came up with. Thanks to NovemberVisionary and Luminare91 for letting me bounce ideas around with them and for giving me their honest feedback - it helped tremendously! And special thanks to all of you who continue to read and review, it's greatly appreciated! :)**

_Three months later in Metropolis..._

Oliver walked out of the Metropolis Airport, one bag slung over his shoulder as he spotted his driver waiting.

"Charlie, good to see you again," Oliver said as the man stepped forward to take his bag.

"Welcome back, Mr. Queen," Charlie answered. "Will you be staying long?"

"I think a week, at least. I have some business in Star City next week, but I may return after that." Oliver settled back against the cushions of the limo as Charlie merged with the steady stream of traffic exiting the airport. He glanced at his phone again, checking for messages. He'd left a message earlier for Chloe, letting her know that he would be in Metropolis. After the job in Germany, he and the team had taken a well deserved break and Chloe had mentioned that she would be busy with school and her internship for a while. She had continued to do some minor file hacking for him, but there had been no major missions to coordinate and they had only spoken a few times since then. He looked up as his driver spoke again.

"Where to, Mr. Queen? Queen Industries?"

Oliver looked at his phone again and had an idea. "Actually, make it the _Daily Planet _- there's an old friend I need to see."

Fifteen minutes later they pulled to a stop in front of the newspaper office and Oliver walked into the lobby and took the elevator down to the newsroom. Once there he looked around for the petite blonde, heading for the area where her desk had been at one time. Not spotting her, or seeing her name on any of the name plates, he frowned. He also noticed that he was starting to attract attention and inwardly groaned. He caught the eye of one of the female reporters staring at him and smiled charmingly. "Hi, could you tell me where I can find Chloe Sullivan?"

The woman seemed slightly starstruck as she stared at him, pushing her glasses up her nose and clearing her throat nervously as she answered him. "Chloe doesn't work here anymore, but maybe I can help you?"

Oliver's smile faded. "She doesn't work here - since when?"

"Since the day she and Jimmy had a big fight here in the newsroom - they broke up and then I heard that she got into it with Mr. Luthor the same day and either she quit or she was fired. The story changes depending on who you talk to, but personally I think she quit." The woman looked very curious now, stepping a little closer to Oliver. "You're Oliver Queen, right? Are you and Chloe friends? Because no one seems to know what she's doing now and I haven't seen her anywhere around Metropolis in months. I know for a fact she's not writing for any other newspapers in town."

Oliver tamped down his frustration as he stepped away from the gossipy reporter. "Thanks for your help, uh... Mindy," he said, looking at the nameplate on her desk. He turned quickly and walked back toward the elevators as he wondered just what was going on. Chloe hadn't mentioned anything about quitting the paper, which begged the question of what exactly she was doing now. He pulled out his phone and walked straight into a woman who was exiting the elevator. He glanced up and saw Lois staring at him, a surprised look on her face.

"Oliver... wow, long time. What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for... uh you. I heard through the grapevine that you landed a job here. Congratulations."

Lois cocked her head to the side, regarding him with a half smile on her face. "Looking for me, huh? Well, much as I'd love to chat I'm on a deadline. Nice to see you, Ollie." She moved to step around him, but Oliver caught her arm.

"Hey, I noticed Chloe doesn't seem to have a desk here anymore and Mindy over there said she quit. What is she doing now?"

Lois gave him a considering look as she checked her watch again. "Maybe you should get the story from Smallville - this article I'm working on isn't going to write itself. Later!"

She waved as she dashed off and Oliver heaved a sigh as he got on the elevator. He walked out of the building and got back into the limo. "Charlie, looks like we're headed for Smallville." Two hours later they pulled down the drive to the Kent Farm. Oliver got out and walked up to the house, not surprised when Clark opened the door before he could knock.

"Oliver, I didn't know you were going to be in town," Clark said as he stepped aside to allow Oliver to enter the house. "Is there a problem?"

Oliver raised his brows. "Does there have to be a problem for me to stop in to visit with friends?"

Clark shook his head as he motioned for Oliver to sit. "No, of course not. So how have you been?"

Oliver looked at Clark carefully. He seemed tired but since Clark didn't really get tired, he knew there must be some other cause. "Better than you it looks like. How are things with Lana?"

"Lana's gone," he answered shortly.

"Huh, okay," Oliver responded cautiously. "So, I know you usually have these sorts of heart-to-heart chats with Chloe, but do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but thanks for the offer," Clark said wryly. "Speaking of Chloe, how is she?"

Oliver's brows drew together. "Wait, shouldn't I be asking you that? I stopped by the _Planet_ earlier and they said Chloe doesn't work there anymore. What's going on, Clark?"

Clark looked surprised. "I just thought that since Chloe was helping you out with tech support that she probably would have told you where she is."

"Are you telling me that you don't know where she is?" Oliver was starting to feel agitated again. "What exactly happened in the last few months?" _And why didn't I know anything about it_, he wondered.

"Chloe left Smallville about three months ago, Oliver. She said she needed some distance to try and figure out her life. As far as I know, she's not even in Kansas anymore."

"And you just let her leave, just like that?" Oliver stood up and paced the room. "Because that's stupid, Clark. She could be in trouble and no one would even know it."

Clark stood up, looking irritated. "No, not just like that but I'm trying to respect her wishes. She didn't want me - or even you, apparently - to know where she is now, but Lois does know and she told me she talks to her, or texts her, every day. If something were wrong then Lois would know about it."

Oliver stopped pacing. "Lois, huh?" Damn, Lois had sent him out to Smallville on a wild goose chase. He looked back at Clark. "What happened between you and Chloe?"

Clark looked uncomfortable. "Nothing happened."

"Right - I heard that she and Jimmy had a public fight in the newsroom and then she had some sort of argument with Lex. You're saying none of that had anything to do with you, but she took off without telling you where she was going?" Oliver knew he was goading Clark but he couldn't seem to help himself. He expected Clark to get angry but instead he just looked sad.

"I think our world was just starting to get to her. We all expected Chloe to keep our secrets, to come through for us whenever we needed her, but the truth is none of us really considered what she needed. When it came down to it I wasn't the friend to her that I thought I was." Clark swallowed hard as he met Oliver's eyes. "She's my best friend, the person I trust most in the world, and she felt like she needed to leave in order to be happy again. And the thing is, I can't even blame her for it."

Oliver was silent for a minute as he thought about the handful of times he had spoken to Chloe in the last three months. A couple of times she had seemed tired and stressed out but when he asked her about it, she just mentioned that her classes and internship were keeping her busy. The last time he had spoken to her had been about three weeks ago and as he recalled she had seemed pretty happy. She had joked around, their conversation casually flirtatious as they bantered playfully with each other - definitely nothing that would have signalled a potential problem. "So, Lois knows where she is and thinks she's fine?"

Clark nodded. "She said she's still a little homesick but she's rebuilding her life and she seems happy. Maybe that's just what she needs right now."

Oliver nodded and stood up. "I'll be in town for a couple of days at least and the rest of the League will probably be here by tomorrow. We should have a pizza night, catch up with each other."

Clark smiled at him as he walked with him to the door. "Yeah, sure."

Oliver was contemplative on the drive back to Smallville. At least now he knew why Chloe wasn't returning his call. She had to know he'd have questions once he figured out she'd left town. But even if what Clark had told him made sense, he just wasn't comfortable with the idea that Chloe was gone and he had no idea where she was. By the time they crossed into the city limits of Metropolis, Oliver was keyed up again. "Hey, Charlie, take me back to the _Daily Planet_. I might be there for a while, so you don't have to wait. I'll call you or walk over to the office when I'm finished."

Oliver marched across the newsroom with purposeful steps, looking around for Lois. He finally spotted her at her desk, tapping away at her computer keyboard. He sat down in a chair across from her desk. "So, gotta thank you for my scenic drive out to the farm today, Lois - four hours round trip. Guess you figured I had nothing better to do?"

Lois jumped slightly as she looked up at him. "Ok seriously, you and Smallville both need to wear little bells around your necks."

Oliver ignored that and jumped straight to the main topic. "You knew that Clark had no idea where Chloe was when you sent me out there."

"You never asked me where Chloe was," Lois pointed out, looking back at her computer screen. "Now, I believe I mentioned I had a deadline?"

Oliver settled into his chair. "Fine, I'll wait. What I'm not going to do is leave before I find out what I want to know. Hope you don't need quiet when you're writing because I'm feeling pretty chatty at the moment, Legs." Oliver smiled at her.

Lois crossed her arms and started tapping her foot in a way that Oliver recognized meant that her patience was wearing thin. "Why are you so curious about Chloe anyway? It's not like you two are so close, right?" She shot him a speculative look. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Clark - if she wanted you to know where she is, she'd have told you."

"Chloe does some freelance tech work for me and I need to talk to her about that," Oliver said firmly.

Lois snorted. "Yeah, I guessed what kind of "tech work" she's been doing for you lately, Ollie. And can I just say that I'm not sure I like the fact that you've dragged her into that world?"

"Hey, she's strictly behind the scenes Lois. I would never risk her safety," Oliver retorted. "Look, I know what Clark said, that Chloe felt like she needed some distance from Smallville in order to get her life back on track. I'm not looking to mess that up for her, but I'd feel better knowing where she is. And unlike Clark, I'm not leaving until you tell me what I want to know."

Lois turned back to her computer. "Well, hope you like that chair because you'll be there for a while."

"And if you don't tell me, then I'll just task one of the QI satellites with cell phone surveillance. Or I could get a friend to hack your phone, find out where you've been calling every day." Oliver didn't like giving ultimatums but he felt like his options were limited at the moment.

Lois sat back in her own chair as she considered the tense posture of the man across from her. Oliver looked dead serious, so she didn't think he was kidding and that honestly surprised her a little. "You know, if you'd been this tenacious when we were dating we might have lasted longer than we did. Is something going on between you and Chloe that I should know about?" She knew there wasn't but she wondered how Oliver would react to the suggestion of it.

Oliver sighed and ran his hand over the back of his neck before leaning forward. "Lois, neither one of us really fought for our relationship and what that tells me is that we both knew, in the end, it just wasn't right. Can you honestly tell me you think I'm wrong?"

Lois shook her head regretfully. "No, you're not wrong."

"And as for Chloe - I consider her a friend, Lois. There aren't many people in this world that I can really trust and she's one of them. I'd just like to know she's fine, wherever she is."

Lois stood up and walked around her desk to sit in the chair beside him. "She knew you'd find out eventually so I think it's ok to tell you. And technically she only told me not to tell Clark where she is, so... she's in Star City. I can give you her address but you didn't get it from me. In fact, you should pretend you just ran into her by accident the next time you're in town. That takes the heat off me completely."

Oliver held up his hand. "Wait a minute - you're telling me she's been in Star City for the past three months?"

Lois nodded. "See, I was offered a job with the _Star City Gazette _- remember that girl Lanie I worked with at the_ Inquisitor_? She was from California and she wanted to be closer to her family, so she took a job there when they had an opening. She got me the interview, only I got an interview here at the same time, and then Chloe's life sort of imploded, what with Jimmy and her ongoing feud with Lex. I convinced her to interview with the Gazette and she got the job as a full time reporter. She transferred to Star City University and she's taking classes there part time to finish her degree."

Oliver's head was spinning as Lois paused to take a breath. "But I've been in Star City three times on business in the last three months. My visits don't exactly fly under the radar - she had to know when I was in town. Why wouldn't she tell me?"

"Look Ollie, I don't think it's anything personal. Like I said, it's your hometown so I think she figured you'd find out eventually. Maybe she just wanted time to get settled first. She seems pretty happy there." Lois looked at him closely. "You're not pouting are you?"

"What? Lois, I'm not a child and I don't pout," Oliver said, feeling irritated. He drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair as he thought about what Lois had just told him.

Lois smirked slightly. "Fine, Grumpy, you're not pouting. Now, as much fun as it is to watch you "not pouting" I have actual work to do." She grabbed a notepad from her desk and scribbled an address on it, as well as a phone number. "Here's her address and her new cell phone number, and that's the name of the coffee shop in her neighborhood that I happen to know she frequents on Saturday and Sunday mornings. She still has her old number but she keeps that phone turned off most of the time and just checks the messages. I think she kept it because of Clark, even though I told her she needed to cut that cord completely, at least for a while."

Oliver took the paper from her, folding it carefully as he put it in his wallet. "Speaking of Clark, what exactly happened between them?"

"I have my suspicions that nothing happened, which is the problem," Lois replied. "But that's something you'll have to ask Chloe about when you see her because I'm trying to stay out of it. Neither one of them will talk to me about it anyway."

Oliver's mouth quirked up in amusement as he stood up and prepared to leave. "Now who's pouting?"

Lois rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Now, I have an article to finish. Let me know how Chloe is when you see her. Even though she tells me she's fine, I still worry about her."

"Yeah sure, I'll let you know. And Lois... thanks." He grinned at her ass he turned to leave and Lois shook her head. He could deny it, but she had a feeling there was more to Oliver's insistence on knowing where Chloe was than he wanted to admit to her or to himself. She watched him thoughtfully as he got onto the elevator - maybe she needed to plan a little trip of her own out to Star City. She had a feeling Chloe's life was about to get a little more interesting.

Oliver whistled as he walked toward the offices of Queen Industries. He made a few phone calls and rescheduled some meetings as he planned to be back in Star City by the weekend. Now that he'd recovered from the shock of Lois' little bombshell, he was feeling pretty positive about the situation. He had planned to make a quick trip to Star City and settle into Metropolis again, but now he decided to finish up his business in Metropolis and hang around his hometown for a while. It would be nice to be back there among friends and he could keep an eye on Chloe, make sure she was doing as well as Lois thought she was. In fact, he found that he was really looking forward to seeing her again.

_Back in Star City, Sunday morning..._

Chloe was sitting with her laptop at an outdoor cafe in her neighborhood, sipping her latte as she worked on her latest article. It still amazed her sometimes how much more relaxed she felt in Star City. Of course, she also didn't have to worry about meteor freaks and Zoners on a daily basis so that was bound to bring her stress level way down. It was always bright and sunny here, she could take walks on the beach, and people rushed around just a little less than they did in Metropolis. She leaned back and turned her face up to the sun for a moment, thinking how nice it was to work on an article outside for a change. She even had a desk in a newsroom that was above basement level, a major step up from the_ Daily Planet_. Of course, the _Planet_ was by far the more prestigious newspaper but she was getting a lot more experience with actual news writing at the _Gazette_. She also had friends here, people she went to dinner with, the occasional movie. She was easing into her new life, and she still missed Lois and Clark, but after three months she felt like this was actually her life she was living rather than someone else's.

Chloe flagged the barista and ordered another latte as she continued to work on her computer. She was going through her interview notes when she heard her name spoken. She looked up and suppressed a groan, more than a little shocked to see Oliver striding toward her. She had known he was back in town but she hadn't really expected to cross paths with him, given that her social circle was so far removed from his it might as well have been in an alternate universe. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously; this had Lois written all over it.

Oliver pulled a chair out and sat down. "What a coincidence running into you here. What are you doing in Star City, Chloe?"

Chloe's disbelief was obvious as she raised her eyebrows. "Seriously, you hide a secret identity as a leather clad, crossbow wielding vigilante from the world and this is what you're going with? That you just happened to be out for a walk and accidentally ran into me? This isn't exactly your neighborhood, Oliver. In fact, this is as far away from your neighborhood as we can get while still being in Star City. Lois sent you to check on me right?"

He sighed. "I told her you would never buy it, but hey, at least she can't say I didn't try. So, want to tell me why I had to find out from Lois that you were the newest addition to my favorite city?" He wasn't sure why, but it still rankled that Chloe had been here for months, had spoken to him during that time, and yet she had never told him about the move. As he had pointed out to Lois, he had even been in town a few times and with the way the _Gazette_ always trumpeted the return of the 'Star City Playboy' she must have known when he was here.

Chloe shrugged as she took another sip of her latte. "It didn't seem important I guess. I can be your tech girl from Star City the same as Metropolis and it's not like you make any city your home base these days."

Now he felt a little irritated by her nonchalant response. In the year and a half since he'd discovered she knew his secret, he had worked with her on at least a dozen side projects, paying her to go through files and hack encrypted data. Maybe they weren't the BFFs she and Clark had always been, but it hadn't been all business all the time. He could honestly say he enjoyed the times when he was able to chat with Chloe - her witty banter kept him on his toes if nothing else and while most women were busy scheming their way into the billionaire playboy's wallet and bed, Chloe was aware that his persona was so much more than that. His connection with her was one of the most honest ones he'd ever had with a woman, so finding out that he knew little to nothing of what was really going on in her life bothered him.

He pushed aside his feelings of irritation and shot her his trademark grin. "Yeah well, that's about to change. I'll be working out of Star City from now on, so I guess that will give us plenty of time to catch up." For the first time he felt real curiosity about Chloe's personal life. What had happened to her photographer boyfriend and what was Clark's involvement in their breakup? Whatever had happened had sent her running halfway across the country and had clearly driven a wedge between two people he'd have sworn were tighter than most married couples he knew.

Chloe tried to suppress the alarm that warred with another emotion she didn't want to acknowledge; excitement, maybe? She set her coffee cup down - clearly her triple shot latte was affecting her more than usual if she was allowing Oliver to make her nervous. "Look Oliver, I appreciate that Lois asked you to check up on me but you can report back that I'm fine. Consider your obligation fulfilled."

"I don't consider visiting with a friend an obligation," he pointed out as he smiled at her. "Come on, I'll show you around the city, it'll be fun."

Now she was the one who felt irritated. "We're not really friends Oliver."

Oliver felt frustrated and slightly confused. "Ok, then what are we if we're not friends? We share some pretty big secrets for casual acquaintances."

Chloe sighed. "Do you know my favorite movie, or favorite color, or even my coffee order? The secrets we share are out of necessity. You're my occasional boss and while I want to continue helping you, I am also trying to build a semi-normal life here. I don't want to have to constantly lie to everyone I know and I'm not going to jeopardize that just so you can score points with your ex." She ignored the little voice in the back of her head that pointed out that she was being more than a little unfair.

"Whoa, back up there Sidekick. This has nothing to do with Lois," he protested. _Where the hell was this coming from_, he wondered. He felt like he'd just stepped on a landmine, obviously one labeled Clark.

"Right," she said as she stood up and packed away her laptop. "Oliver, I appreciate the effort here but just do me a favor and stick to business. I'm not a pity case and I'm not your Sidekick." She walked away, feeling a strong urge to cry. Damn Oliver anyway, stirring all of this up inside her again. She sensed his eyes on her and fought the urge to look back at him.

Oliver sat back in his chair as he watched Chloe walk away. To say that had not gone as expected was an understatement. Obviously whatever had gone down in Smallville since his last visit had changed Chloe; she definitely wasn't Clark's optimistic Girl Friday any longer. He wondered again how he'd missed this. He had talked to her several times in the last few months but nothing about those calls had hinted at any problems she was having. He considered his next approach; Chloe hadn't been wrong when she pointed out that they weren't really friends. The simple truth was that she knew far more about him than he did about her, which made him think back to what Clark had said about not being the friend that she deserved. Chloe obviously thought nothing would change even though they were now living in the same city. He was surprised to realize that she didn't think he would actually pursue her friendship, which meant that she thought her only value to him was that of Watchtower. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that that wasn't true. Whatever she thought, he did value her friendship; now he just needed to convince her that his friendship was something to be valued as well.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So, I ended up adding to this chapter so it's longer than what I was originally planning to post, which is why I'm posting a day or two later than I intended to. Thanks again to everyone who has favorited and alerted this story and special thanks to all of you who take the time to post a review - I really love to hear what you think! Special, special thanks to NovemberVisionary and Luminare91 - you guys have been so nice about debating plot points and characterizations with me and I greatly appreciate your honest feedback.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing :)**

By Monday morning, Chloe was feeling more than a few pangs of guilt over her abrupt dismissal of Oliver's offer of friendship. Sure, Lois had spilled the beans, had probably asked Oliver to check in with her, but she'd always known that he would eventually find out she was in Star City. She had assumed that when it happened he would drop by once in a while whenever he was in town, keep in touch as he usually did via phone and email, and occasionally ask her to pick up Watchtower duties for the League. What she hadn't expected was for him to settle back down in Star City and offer to take her sightseeing. As much as she wanted to think the offer had been made lightly in the moment, she'd seen a genuine flash of hurt in his eyes when she'd shot him down.

Chloe sighed heavily as she made her way into the newsroom and dropped her bag on her desk. She sat down and leaned back in her chair, wondering if she should just call and apologize to him. She didn't want things to be awkward between them and if she was going to be completely honest with herself, she knew that her snarky responses had been a knee jerk reaction stemming from everything that had happened with Clark, particularly on the day before she'd left Smallville. She closed her eyes and willed her mind not to wander that particular path again - she'd already traveled it too many times to count just on the long drive from Kansas to California. She rubbed her hand against her temple as she leaned in to turn on her computer, deciding it was way too early to be thinking about any of this.

"So, did you see the paper this morning? Star City's most eligible bachelor is back in town."

Chloe jumped as her friend and coworker, Lanie MacAuley, tossed the morning edition down on her desk. "Of course I saw it, Lanie."

"And did you hear about the early morning rumble?" Lanie dropped her tall, lithe frame into the chair beside Chloe's desk. She tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder, hazel eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Early morning rumble - was there an earthquake this morning?" Chloe was pretty sure she'd have noticed that. She might be used to the odd twister or storm, but the earth shaking beneath her feet tended to make her nervous.

"Not an earthquake, Chloe. It was the rumble of thousands of hopeful girls beating a path to their nearest hair salons, spas, and high end department stores. The wayward prince has returned and they're hoping to be his princess," she laughed at her own joke.

"You know, the poor guy can't even visit his hometown without being targeted by the press," Chloe pointed out, feeling the need to defend Oliver. "That can't be easy for him."

"Well, he's brought it on himself - you should pick up a few back issues of the _Gazette_. Some of his antics over the years made the front page," Lanie said dryly. "Speaking of the press, and I use that term loosely in this case, I heard that Gwyn opted for an early morning spa visit herself and will be in late today. Guess she's hoping to get a "personal" interview with him for the society pages."

Chloe fought the urge to roll her eyes. Gwyn Harris was a society reporter whose vapid interest in men and their bank accounts was pretty well known about the office. "While Oliver might be known as a ladies' man, I seriously doubt he'd be interested in whatever Gwyn's offering."

"True, his taste in women seems to have improved in recent years. I met him once when I was living in Metropolis, you know - Lois introduced us. And speaking of Lois, you could always see if she has any pull with him and beat Gwyn to the punch - watching her have a Wicked Witch of the West meltdown is always entertaining."

"Thanks but I think I'll pass. And while I'm no fan, I'm still not clear on why you hate Gwyn so much," Chloe replied. The animosity between the two women was also common knowledge at the _Gazette_, though she had no idea what was behind it.

"And changing the subject, I'm guessing we'll have java delivery in 3...2...1..."

"Good morning, ladies. How are the two best reporters on the city beat?" Mike Bennett grinned easily as he placed a tray of coffees on Chloe's desk. He passed one of the cups to Chloe, who accepted it eagerly, inhaling the aroma of her favorite brew. She closed her eyes as she took the first sip, opening them again to find Mike eyeing her wistfully. "You know it's sad when a guy feels jealous of a cup of coffee, right?"

Chloe smiled at his teasing. "What can I say, if I had to choose between a man and coffee... coffee wins hands down. It always gives me a boost when I need it, with none of the let down."

"Ouch!" Mike clutched his chest dramatically, causing Chloe to laugh as she rolled her eyes and turned back to her computer.

Lanie shook her head as she watched them. She and Mike had been friends since their university days and she could see that he had a serious crush on the petite blonde. But while his intentions were apparently obvious to most, Chloe continued to be oblivious to what was behind his teasing. Lanie decided it might be a good idea to have a talk with Mike about Chloe. The last time she had been in Metropolis, Chloe had been dating a rather endearingly geeky photographer while a smoking hot farmboy from her hometown always seemed to be waiting around in the wings. She'd heard about the breakup with the photographer from Lois but when she'd asked Chloe about her friend Clark, Chloe had really closed up. She suspected that Chloe was nursing wounds that had nothing to do with her exboyfriend and she didn't want Mike to get his own heart trampled on if he moved too fast. The three of them had been having a lot of fun over the last three months since Chloe had moved to Star City. In the cutthroat world of journalism, Lanie had almost forgotten what it was like to have a good friend who pushed you to be better without trying to scoop you the second your back was turned. She and Lois had always been competitive with each other but had never really moved their friendship past the casual friends and coworkers stage. She was happy to call Chloe a good friend now and the last thing she wanted was for their group dynamic to become unnecessarily awkward.

Lanie shook off her musings and grabbed Mike's sleeve, pulling him away from Chloe's desk. "Come on big guy, Chloe has work to do and I need your help with something."

Mike sighed and cast a wistful look back at Chloe, who gave a distracted wave as she began to concentrate fully on her research. He followed Lanie towards her own desk on the other side of the room. "So what do you need my help with?" He leaned his tall, muscular frame against the corner of her desk as Lanie turned to face him. "Wait - I'm getting "The Look" - why am I getting "The Look?" He'd known Lanie for a long time and and he knew that look on her face; worse, it was never a good thing.

"Mike, you know I love you, right? So this comes from a place of love when I say that you need to tone down the lovestruck routine around Chloe. She broke up with her boyfriend literally days before moving out here and I can tell you that the vibes I'm getting off of her towards you are nothing more than friendship at the moment. I just don't want her to feel uncomfortable when she finally figures out that your outrageous flirting is way more serious than she thinks it is."

Mike winced slightly, running a hand through his dark brown hair. He smiled sheepishly at her as he asked, "Is it really that obvious?"

Lanie sighed, her expression sympathetic. Despite the tough jock image that he maintained as a sports reporter, Mike was actually very sensitive. "That you're wearing your heart on your sleeve for a certain snarky, blonde reporter? The answer is yes, to everyone who is NOT Chloe Sullivan, it's very obvious."

He sighed and straightened away from her desk. "You're right and I don't want her to be uncomfortable around me. I'll try to dial it down - and I know you have my back, Mac." He threw his arm around her shoulders and Lanie rolled her eyes as she pushed him off.

"Ok, now I have work to do." She sat down in her chair, turning again as he called out to her.

"Lunch later, right? I think it's my turn to choose and I vote Italian."

"Nice try but it's _my_ turn," she called after him, shaking her head. She turned on her computer and prepared to get some work done. She hoped Mike would take her words to heart because she was pretty sure Chloe wasn't anywhere near ready to be swept off her feet.

* * *

Chloe leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head. She felt like she'd been hunched over her computer for hours and wasn't surprised to see that it was now after 12:00. She reached for her empty coffee cup and stood to make a trip to the breakroom, figuring she had time for a small refill before she went to lunch with Lanie and Mike. When she walked out of the breakroom she noticed immediately that the newsroom was not as noisy as usual. She looked around and saw several people glancing her way before looking back towards her desk. She could see Mike and Lanie both standing there - nothing unusual about that. She frowned, wondering what was going on, when suddenly Mike moved and she saw Oliver was also standing at her desk. Chloe paused for a moment, wondering if there was any chance he hadn't been recognized before dismissing the idea. This was Star City, not Metropolis, and she was pretty sure everyone in town knew who Oliver Queen was. And if they didn't, the huge photo gracing the cover of this very publication was probably a good reminder. She walked forward slowly as all three of them turned to watch her approach.

Chloe set her coffee cup down on her desk. Mike looked slightly confused about what was going on but it was Lanie's expression that made her nervous - it was clearly a "someone's got some splainin' to do" look and Chloe inwardly groaned. She turned to face Oliver now, who grinned at her as if showing up at her workplace was totally normal. Okay, so she could handle this. "Mr. Queen, it's nice to see you again. Is there something I can help you with?"

Any hope she had harbored of playing this off as a business meeting went up in flames as Oliver raised one eyebrow and smirked at her knowingly. "Mr. Queen - really? That's cute, Chloe. And you can help me by going to lunch with me - I got out of a boring business lunch by telling my board members I had to catch up with an old friend. You don't want to make me a liar, now do you?" He stepped forward just a little - just enough to invade her personal space by the smallest of margins. He reached out and pushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear - it was longer than he remembered, barely brushing her shoulders. "I know I saw you yesterday but we still have a lot to talk about."

Chloe's mouth had fallen open as Oliver spoke, and she took a tiny step back. _What the hell was he doing_, she thought. There was no way that she was going to be able to brush this off as a casual lunch with her cousin's ex - in fact, his air of familiarity was probably going to give everyone another idea altogether. She glanced over at Mike and Lanie again - Mike's expression had gone from confused to surprised and Lanie's eyebrows had climbed so high that she looked like she'd been botoxed by the world's worst plastic surgeon.

Oliver resisted the urge to laugh as he watched Chloe's expressions shift at lightning speed. He'd known before she opened her mouth that she was going to try and spin this as business related and he'd shot that down as quickly as possible. It was clear by her coworkers' reactions that they'd been completely unaware of her association with him, and it was equally clear that Chloe was trying to decide exactly how to explain his impromptu visit. He leaned over and grabbed her bag off of her desk. "So, what are you in the mood for? Star City has some great restaurants, as I'm sure you've learned since you moved here."

Chloe sighed - she knew that making any sort of scene would feed the gossip mill worse than her going to lunch with him, so she took her bag and smiled at him rather grimly. "I actually already had lunch plans with Lanie and Mike. Maybe they could..."

Lanie interrupted swiftly. "Oh no, we couldn't intrude, could we Mike?" When Mike looked like he would object to this she elbowed him in the ribs and he grunted as he shot her an irritated look. "You and Oliver go and...catch up? You and I can catch up later." She shot Chloe a look that promised girl talk was in their very near future.

Oliver smiled at Lanie as he put an arm around Chloe's shoulders. "It was nice to see you again, Lanie. I'm glad Chloe had a familiar face to welcome her to Star City since I was away at the time."

Lanie tilted her head, studying the tall, blonde CEO. She'd like to say she was completely unaffected by his charm but that would make her a total liar. _It should be illegal for a guy to look that hot in a business suit_, she thought ruefully. She looked over at Chloe, who still appeared slightly shellshocked by the entire exchange. She couldn't believe Chloe had been holding out on her like this - it was clear that she knew Oliver far better than could be explained by the fact that he had dated her cousin a couple of years before. Oliver Queen didn't really strike her as the type to befriend the family members of exgirlfriends, so something else was going on here. "I'm happy Chloe decided to give Star City a try. Now that you're back, we'll all have to get to know each other."

The only ones who looked pleased with this suggestion were Lanie and Oliver. Oliver nodded at them as he led Chloe towards the elevators. Lanie looked over at Mike, who looked a little like his favorite puppy had run off to play with the neighbor boy. She patted his arm. "Come on, I'll let you have Italian today."

Chloe said nothing as Oliver escorted her out of the building and into the passenger seat of his red Ferrari. She raised a brow at him as he got in. "Pretty flashy - I guess 'flying under the radar' is lost on you?"

Oliver shrugged. "I do have a reputation to uphold," he pointed out. "As long as the papers concentrate on Oliver Queen, the billionaire playboy and CEO, it never occurs to them to connect me to anything more serious. I may not like being tabloid fodder but given my other activities, that works out pretty well for me."

Chloe acknowledged the truth of this. "Speaking of tabloid fodder, Oliver - was there a reason that you showed up at my workplace, giving everyone the impression that we were..."

Oliver waited for her to continue and when she didn't he prompted, "That we were... what exactly?" Of course he knew what she meant. He'd given her coworkers the impression that they were much closer than they really were and he'd done it for one simple reason. The paparazzi game was one he understood very well and he knew that if he just outed their friendship immediately, any gossip would die down quickly and Chloe couldn't use that as an excuse to push him away. Once everyone got comfortable with the idea that they were friends, no one would think twice about it if they were seen together.

Chloe couldn't hide her exasperation as she replied, "Oliver, I'm pretty sure that Mike and Lanie, as well as all of my coworkers, think there's some sort of... thing going on between us. In fact, I'm pretty sure you _meant_ for them to think that. Why?"

Oliver glanced over at her. She was actually kind of cute when she was annoyed, like a disgruntled kitten. He knew she'd be even more annoyed if she were aware of how much fun he was having, so he tried for a serious answer. "How long do you think we'd have been able to completely hide our association? The truth is we do have a 'thing' as you so charmingly put it - you're Watchtower and I'm Green Arrow. Chances are that you'll be in on a League meeting at some point - those meetings tend to take place at my penthouse here in the city. All it would take is one person seeing you come and go from my building and it would be all over the papers. And what am I supposed to do if I see you, just pretend I don't know you? Because that's ridiculous - I meant it when I said I wanted us to be friends, Chloe. So yeah, today I ripped off the band-aid and threw it out there for the wolves to sniff over. There may be some speculation but if we act like there's nothing to hide then it'll die down just as fast. Trust me, I've been playing this game with reporters for years."

Chloe regarded him silently as he turned into the winding drive of a very exclusive looking restaurant. "Ok, so I get your logic but I still think we could have found a more subtle approach. My afternoon at the office is going to be hell - or did you forget that I work for one of the very papers that will be looking for an angle here?"

Oliver stopped the car near the valet stand and turned his head to look at Chloe. "I know that being connected to me comes with a certain loss of privacy, but is the idea of being around me really that terrible? Because truthfully I don't have many friends - not real ones anyway, people who really know me. And I know that I don't know you as well as I should, given how much you've helped me over the last year and a half, but I'm trying to change that - if you'll let me."

Chloe felt her earlier guilt resurfacing; now she just felt like she was being a bitch, frankly. There were no hidden motives with Oliver, of that she was pretty certain. Whatever else you could say about him, he usually said exactly what he meant and damn the consequences. "I'm sorry. I guess I felt like I needed to change everything when I moved, take myself in a totally different direction, you know? I got so sucked into alien conspiracies and superhero secrets while living in Smallville that I forgot what it was like to just be me - just Chloe. The past three months have been nice, knowing that my new friends don't have hidden agendas. I haven't had that in a long time."

Oliver got out of the car, tossing his keys to the valet as he walked around to help Chloe out. He rested his hand on her back as he looked down at her. "Look, if you'd rather take a break from the freelancing for a while, I understand. But even if you do, my offer of friendship still stands and I hope you realize that."

Chloe looked up at him and just like that, her earlier tension melted away. His expression was completely open and earnest and she knew he was serious. For whatever reason, Oliver seemed to think that being her friend was worth something - worth more than what she could do for him as Watchtower. Knowing that his friendship wasn't contingent on her role in the League made her decision suddenly very simple. "No, that's not what I want. If you need my help then of course I want you to come to me. And until then, we can work on being friends." She felt something catch in her chest as his answering smile lit up his entire face. _God, the man should have a warning label_, she thought as he led her into the restaurant. She was intensely aware of his hand on her back, something she'd need to get under control immediately if she didn't intend to embarrass herself in the future. _The Oliver Queen Effect_, she thought wryly. Time to build up my resistance.

Once they'd cleared the air, Chloe found Oliver to be a very entertaining lunch date. Any worries she might have had that they would have nothing to talk about quickly evaporated as they engaged in spirited discussions and debates on everything from the latest blockbuster movies and bestselling books to the politics of Star City. Surprisingly, they had similar tastes in many areas and could at least appreciate the other's view when their opinions differed.

"Speaking of politics," Oliver said as he escorted her out of the restaurant, "I'm attending a fundraiser for the mayor tonight. Any chance I could convince you to be my escort for the evening?"

Chloe quirked a brow at him in amusement. "And disappoint all of those women who have spent the entire day hopefully preparing to be photographed on your arm? I'm told that all of the single ladies of this city made a mad dash to their nearest spas this morning, followed by afternoon shopping sprees." She couldn't quite suppress the little snicker that escaped her lips as she settled into her seat.

Oliver climbed into the driver's seat. "Not really funny - do you have any idea what it's like to be chased by money hungry women?"

"It's kind of funny - and I'm sure your money isn't the _only_ thing they're after, so it can't be all bad for you. Like you said earlier, you do have a reputation to uphold."

"Why do I feel like you just insulted my virtue?" Oliver's lips twitched as he tried not to laugh. God, he'd really missed this banter with Chloe - she had such a quick mind, and she matched him quip for quip on every subject. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd had such an enjoyable time at lunch with a friend. He looked over at her as she reached up to push her hair away from her face. Awareness shot through him as his eyes followed the feminine gesture. It wasn't the first time he'd noticed Chloe in that way. The night they'd first encountered Dinah on the rooftop of the _Planet_ came to mind. There had been a moment in the Clocktower when he'd been cleaning the scrapes on her cheek - a moment when he'd been all too aware of Chloe sexually. Something about being that close to her for the first time, maybe. He wasn't certain why it had hit him then but that night he was suddenly fascinated by the tiny freckles on the bridge of her nose and when she'd opened her eyes, he'd realized that they were green. It had surprised him, that he'd known her for so long and yet he had never noticed her eyes before. He certainly noticed them now, along with other attributes he made a conscious effort to turn his mind away from during lunch.

"You realize that one must actually _have_ virtue before one's virtue can be insulted?" Chloe grinned at him unrepentantly.

Oliver did laugh then as he pulled in front of the_ Gazette_. He turned off the engine and walked around to open her door. "You could always help me protect my virtue by being my escort."

Chloe shook her head regretfully. "As much fun as that might be, I'm covering a gallery opening tonight."

Oliver sighed. "Fine, throw your new friend to the wolves."

"Somehow I think you'll survive," Chloe commented dryly. She turned to walk up the steps but then turned back. "Thanks, Oliver. I'm glad you came to see me today and invited me to lunch. Next time I'll take you to one of my favorite restaurants."

Oliver leaned back against the car and smiled back at her. "Sounds like a plan, Sidekick." She rolled her eyes slightly at the nickname before waving and heading into the office. She found Lanie waiting for her at her desk. _Time to face the music_, she thought.

Lanie drummed her fingers on Chloe's desk. "So, I hope you're ready to spill because I am dying of curiosity. I can't believe you never mentioned that you knew Oliver Queen."

Chloe pursed her lips as she looked at Lanie. "Of course I know him, he dated my cousin."

"Oh I'm sorry, let me rephrase that - you never mentioned that you knew him_ intimately_." Lanie's voice lowered as she raised a brow.

"Ok, I absolutely do not know him_ intimately _or in any way other than that of a friend. The truth is that I started doing some computer programming work for him about a year and a half ago, just on a freelance basis. And yes, a friendship of sorts has developed from that but honestly, yesterday was the first time I'd spoken to him in a few weeks."

Lanie considered this. "He seemed pretty friendly for someone you don't often talk to."

"I think he wants us to become better friends now that we're in the same city but that's all it is. He has this theory that if we throw our friendship out into the open that any media interest in me will die down quickly." Chloe hoped he was right about that because the last thing she wanted was to be named the latest notch on Oliver's bedpost - especially when she didn't even have the enjoyment of his bedroom antics to make up for the gossip. _Ok, Sullivan, mind out of his bedroom_, she scolded herself mentally.

Lanie sighed as she stood up. "Fine, I believe you." And she did believe Chloe was telling the truth - she just didn't believe that was the whole story. She'd seen the sparks flying between the two of them, so now she'd just take a seat on the sidelines and watch it unfold. "Speaking of media interest, Gwyn was looking for you earlier. My guess is that she's now heard about you and Oliver and is foaming at the mouth to find out what's going on."

"Oh, God - what exactly _have _you heard through the office grapevine?" She had a feeling she knew but wanted the confirmation so she could respond appropriately.

"Yeah, are you sure you want to know?" Chloe wasn't going to like it, of that Lanie was certain.

"Yes, I'm sure - how bad can it be?"

"The worst one? That your affair with Oliver broke up his relationship with your cousin and when he ditched you, you moved to Star City to get closer to him again."

"I was out of the office for less than an hour and thirty minutes - how did they come up with something so absolutely wrong in less than ninety minutes?" Chloe figured the worst she'd have to deal with were rumors that she was sleeping with Oliver; she'd never imagined that Lois would be dragged into it.

Lanie snorted. "This is the media world, Chloe - rumors and innuendo create a story faster than you can blink. Don't worry though, I already talked to Harry and he's not about to let Gwyn print a story like that about one of his own reporters. Of course, he can't guarantee some other media outlet won't run with something similar, but I imagine Oliver's PR people know how to handle those kinds of stories if it comes to it."

Chloe looked around the newsroom and she could plainly see that everyone was very interested in her conversation with Lanie. As a junior reporter very few of the senior reporters ever noticed her but that was probably about to change. "I guess I'll worry about that if and when it happens."

"Harry mentioned that you could work from home for the rest of the afternoon if you wanted to. You were going to have to leave early anyway to get ready for the gallery opening so it might not be a bad idea."

Chloe didn't intend to run away from the gossip, but she'd probably get more done at home. "That sounds like a great idea at the moment," she said. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with the problems that came with befriending a billionaire playboy.

* * *

Oliver absently swirled the champagne in his glass as he listened with half an ear to the mayor's speech. He hated events like this; not only were they boring, but the level of pretentiousness displayed by many of the city's elite made him grit his teeth. It was a glittering world but underneath the glitter were people who loved nothing more than to drag each other down with petty gossip and well placed social slurs and barbs. Some of the very people who shook his hand tonight would no doubt be making snide comments about him tomorrow. Of course, not everyone was like that. He knew that a number of the people here had greatly respected his parents and likewise had respect for his position as CEO of Queen Industries. His personal reputation garnered slightly less respect but since he'd made a conscious effort to clean up his act during the last couple of years, that was slowly changing.

His thoughts were interrupted by a slender hand sliding over his shoulder, followed by a silky voice murmuring in his ear. "I heard you were back in Star City, Ollie. I'm a little disappointed you haven't called me yet."

Oliver turned to the tall, raven haired beauty standing behind him, brows arched knowingly over gray eyes that appeared almost silver under the lights of the chandelier. "Well, if I'd known you were going to be here, I'd have asked you to come keep me company. How are you Ashlyn?" Ashlyn Sinclair was probably one of his oldest friends in Star City and one of the few people he was genuinely happy to see whenever he came home. He ran his eyes appreciatively over her form, which was outlined perfectly in a silvery blue gown that left one shoulder bare.

Her lips curved into a smile as she stepped forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm great, actually. Is this one of your quick trips or will we actually see you around our fair city for a while?"

"I'm here indefinitely, at least for the moment. I had some business to take care of and some personal things to sort out." His mind wandered to Chloe again before he directed his attention back to Ashlyn. "Are you here alone?"

"I am, which is not as shocking as the fact that you're here alone. I'm surprised the vultures haven't circled yet."

Oliver stepped a little closer to her and slid one arm around her waist. "Well, now that you're here I don't have to worry about that. Most of the women in our circle are afraid of you."

Ashlyn laughed. "Only the ones who have less money than I do; or the ones who hope to wear something from my design label."

"I assume you're wearing an Ashlyn Original," Oliver said, sliding his hand over the silky fabric. "I'm proud of you, Ash. You had goals and you worked hard to reach them when you could have just taken your inheritance and the money from your modeling years and been a professional society girl."

"I'm still a professional society girl in some ways, but having something the rest of them want makes me the queen bee in that particular hive. I admit there's some fun in setting the trends." They were now weaving their way through the crowd, nodding at various acquaintances as they talked. They made a striking pair, her dark hair and pale skin a perfect foil for Oliver's tanned, blonde good looks. "So, are you committed to being here for the rest of the evening or can I convince you to come out and play with me?"

Oliver turned to face Ashlyn as they stood near the entrance of the banquet hall. He recognized the invitation for what it was because he and Ashlyn had always been direct with each other. They liked and respected each other and there had always been a healthy dose of attraction between them which had led to the bedroom more than a few times over the years. It was always fun with no pressure for more, and yet this time Oliver hesitated, his thoughts wandering unbidden to Chloe once again.

Ashlyn sensed his hesitation and looked amused. "Or has some other woman caught your eye recently?"

"The only woman I have my eye on at the moment is you." Oliver smiled back at her, taking her hand and leading her toward the exit as he forced all thoughts of green eyes and blonde curls out of his mind for the evening.

**A/N: Ok, I really hope you guys don't hate me for introducing Ashlyn's character here. I swear there's a point to it :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Lois raised her head blearily from the pillow as a pounding noise drew her from the few hours of sleep she'd managed. She sighed and buried her face in the pillow, only to raise it again when she realized the pounding was someone knocking on the front door. She groaned and sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and stomping to the door. "This had better be a damn emergency," she shouted as she jerked the door open. Her brows drew together as she saw Clark standing there, holding two coffees and a small pastry bag from the coffee shop downstairs.

Clark looked uncomfortable as he took in her disheveled appearance. "Sorry, Lois... I just thought you'd be getting ready for work and I'd bring you breakfast. But I can go..." his voice trailed off uncertainly.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Well I'm awake now and you've come bearing coffee, so you're mostly forgiven." She snatched the coffee and took a sip as Clark closed the door and followed her over to the kitchen counter. She grabbed a couple of plates and some juice out of the refrigerator, knowing Clark preferred the juice to coffee anyway. She glanced at him as she pulled the maple doughnuts and bagels out of the bag. She'd been a little worried about him after Lana left but he'd assured her that he was fine. Now she wasn't so sure. "So, to what do I owe the early morning visit?"

Clark kept his eyes on the counter as he answered her. "Have you seen the paper this morning?"

"No. In case you failed to notice, I was sleeping before you pounded on my door loudly enough to wake the dead. What's in the paper?" She thought back to the news stories she'd heard about yesterday before she'd left the Planet to track down some leads on a story. It had been a slow news day and she couldn't remember hearing about anything surprising or shocking.

Clark handed over the morning edition of the paper wordlessly. It was opened to the society pages and there Lois saw several photos of Oliver and Chloe under the headline "Small Town Girl Hits the Big Leagues." Lois rolled her eyes over the silly headline before turning her attention to the pictures. One photo showed Oliver helping her from his sports car, followed by one where they stood looking at each other with serious expressions on their faces as Oliver rested one hand against the small of her back. The photos that followed showed them entering and then leaving the restaurant, including one where Oliver had slung his arm casually across her shoulders as they both laughed.

"Well, Ollie didn't waste any time tracking her down," Lois said with a smirk. She looked back at Clark. "Look, I realize you might be upset because I told Oliver where to find her when I wouldn't tell you, but to be fair you only asked once. He actually threatened to hack my cell phone. Plus, he'd have found out soon enough."

"That's not what's bothering me. She lied to me, Lois." Clark hunched his shoulders a little as he looked over at her.

Lois' brows drew together. "She lied to you? About what?"

"She told me she wouldn't be working for Oliver, but why else would she be in Star City?" Clark's expression bordered on indignant now.

"Hey, her being in Star City had more to do with me than with Oliver. I had a contact at the _Star City Gazette_ who got me an interview there. When I got the job at the _Daily Planet,_ I talked Chloe into interviewing instead."

"You were thinking about leaving?" Clark asked.

Lois shrugged. "Not my first choice, but a girl's gotta go where the work is. This worked out well since Chloe needed a change and personally, I'm happy Ollie is there to keep an eye on her. He can be a good friend to her."

Clark glanced at the photos again. "They look friendly, alright."

"Wait a minute," Lois said suddenly. "You thought she'd be _working_ for Oliver? You know, don't you?"

"Uh, know what exactly, Lois?" Clark's expression was suspiciously guileless and Lois slapped her hand on the table.

"You know what kind of work Chloe's been doing for Oliver because you know that he's the Green Arrow! Am I the only one who didn't know what was going on? I mean what next - is Chloe also some kind of superhero, while you've been playing her faithful sidekick for years?" Lois crossed her arms and raised a brow at him.

Clark took a drink of his juice, forcing a laugh while he collected his thoughts. "That's ridiculous, Lois."

Lois rolled her eyes. "Ok fine, Chloe's not a superhero and you're probably not anyone's idea of a sidekick, but you've been in on Oliver's secret."

Clark sighed. "Ok yes - I know Oliver's secret. If it makes you feel any better, I warned Oliver to keep Chloe out of all that months ago. Neither one of them listened to me."

Lois studied him for a moment before her expression softened. "This has been hard on you, hasn't it? It's always been you and Chloe, thick as thieves, and now she's gone. She has new friends - you feel like she's left you behind."

Clark didn't say anything for several minutes and Lois bit her tongue, willing herself to be patient. Finally he looked up at her. "I guess I do feel like she left me behind. But I want her to be happy and I hope Oliver realizes how lucky he is to have a friend like her. I just miss her and I wish I could talk to her."

"Look, the kind of friendship that you and Chloe have doesn't just go away. Whatever's going on between you two right now... you'll get past it eventually. She asks about you, you know. She even made me promise to check on you ."

Clark smiled a little as he looked back at her. "She told you to check on me?"

Lois reached out and patted his shoulder. "Look, I'll be taking a trip out to Star City in a month or so. Maybe by then you two will be ready to talk and you can go with me."

Clark winced slightly. "Maybe," he answered doubtfully.

Lois sighed, wondering again what had happened between them. She knew Chloe had gone to see Clark one last time before leaving to make sure he was ok without Lana. Whatever happened that day had clearly made them both uncomfortable. Since neither of them was willing to talk about it, it left way too much to her imagination and even she could admit that was a bad thing.

"You know, Clark, you should get a job. I mean, what are you doing with your life?"

Clark looked confused. "I have a job."

"Yeah, moping is not a profession, Smallville. I'm talking about a real job."

"The farm doesn't exactly run itself you know," he pointed. "Besides, I'm happy with the way things are now."

"Of course you are - because your expression just screams ecstatic joy these days," Lois commented dryly. "Fine, but will you at least think about it?"

Clark shrugged as he pulled out a bagel and began to eat. Lois grabbed one of the maple doughnuts and let her thoughts wander. Clark needed a change just as much as Chloe had, even if he wouldn't admit it as easily. She took a sip of coffee and decided she'd give that little problem some more thought. After all, a little change never hurt anyone.

* * *

Chloe left her apartment with a feeling of trepidation as she wondered exactly what kind of media storm her lunch with Oliver had caused. As she locked her door, she heard another door open. She turned to see Mrs. Chandler in the doorway of her apartment across the hall.

"I thought I heard you dear," Mrs. Chandler said cheerfully. "You're always the first one to leave on our floor."

Chloe smiled at her. "That's because I have to get up early to stay on top of the news. How are you today?"

"Oh, I'm just fine. Wait right here because I have something for you." The elderly lady disappeared back into her apartment for a moment before returning with a tupperware container and a folded piece of newspaper. "I made scones and sausage balls this morning, so you take some of this to work and share with your friends. You're always forgetting to eat." She wagged a disapproving finger as she handed over the container.

Chloe bit back a grin as she took the container from her neighbor. "Thank you. Mike will definitely appreciate it too - he thinks you make the best sausage balls in the world." She watched as Mrs. Chandler unfolded the piece of newspaper to reveal two clippings, an article and a photo. She knew that her neighbor had taken to clipping all of her articles for her and she appreciated the grandmotherly gesture. Chloe had very little family left and she knew that Mrs. Chandler's daughter and grandchildren lived in Seattle, so the two of them had bonded shortly after Chloe moved in. Chloe did some of Mrs. Chandler's shopping for her and often visited with her, while Mrs. Chandler had begun cooking extra food in order to ensure that Chloe ate a balanced meal now and then.

"I clipped your article on the gallery opening," Mrs Chandler said. "It was very good, but then you always write so well that I'm not surprised. But I certainly was surprised to see the picture of you with Oliver Queen. I wasn't aware you were friends."

Chloe winced slightly, wondering if she was about to get a gentle lecture from the woman on the dangers of being too friendly with a renowned playboy. "I've known Oliver for a few years now. We actually met in Metropolis before I moved to Star City."

"Such a nice young man, I'm sure, and you two look lovely together in the picture," she said. "The papers write awful things about him sometimes, but I don't believe all of those stories. I met his parents a long time ago and they were wonderful people."

Chloe's eyebrows flew up. "You knew Oliver's parents?"

"Oh yes, dear. I was a nurse at Star City Medical Center you know, before I retired. Laura Queen was quite involved with charitable programs at the hospital and I've heard that young Mr. Queen has made an effort to continue that support. If he were the degenerate playboy the papers made him out to be at times, I feel certain he wouldn't bother to organize and openly support such causes." She handed Chloe the newspaper clippings as she spoke and Chloe felt a smile curving her lips at the photo of her with Oliver the day before. They were leaving the restaurant and Chloe was laughing as Oliver looked down at her with a charming smile on his face.

She looked back at Mrs. Chandler. "You're right about Oliver, Mrs. Chandler. He does a lot of good in this world, most of which no one ever hears about."

Mrs. Chandler patted Chloe's arm fondly. "Well, I don't want to keep you since I know you have to go to work. I just wanted to give you those clippings and make sure you had some breakfast this morning. You bring that nice young man by one day and I'll tell him some stories about his parents. I believe I even have a few photos around here somewhere."

"I'm sure he would love that. And thank you again for breakfast," Chloe replied. "Do you need me to pick anything up for you today?"

The woman shook her head. "No, thank you dear. You have a good day!"

Chloe was in a good mood when she got to work. She grabbed her mug off her desk and went to the breakroom for coffee. When she returned, she found Lanie and Mike waiting at her desk. "Good morning," she said with a smile as she placed her mug on the desk. "Mrs. Chandler made breakfast this morning."

"I think Mike could smell it from across the newsroom actually," Lanie commented with a smirk. "Never mind that he already ate breakfast at the diner across the street."

"I always have enough room for Mrs. Chandler's sausage balls," Mike replied firmly. He shot a hopeful look at Chloe. "That is what I smell, right? And she sent enough for everyone?"

Chloe chuckled as she pried the tupperware lid off to reveal the scones and sausage balls piled within. "Do you think she'd disappoint you by not sending enough to share? I'm pretty sure she'd cook whatever you wanted, given the fact that you fixed her leaking sink that the super couldn't be bothered with."

"You tell her if anything needs fixing in the future, I'm more than happy to work for food," he declared as he popped two of the sausage balls into his mouth, a blissful look on his face.

"I think she enjoys having someone to cook for occasionally. It's been lonely for her since her husband died last year." Chloe took a scone from the container as she settled into her chair and turned on her computer.

Lanie regarded Chloe curiously. "You know, given the media speculation you're in a much better mood than I thought you'd be."

Chloe shrugged, sipping her coffee. "There was only one photo printed of me and Oliver, right? Mrs. Chandler saves all clippings of articles in the paper that mention my name and she only gave me two clippings this morning." She watched as Lanie and Mike exchanged a wary look.

Mike cleared his throat. "You know, I think this is girl talk territory. Just know that in addition to emergency home repairs, I'm also available for ass kickings if necessary; I don't care if he_ is _a billionaire boy wonder." He grabbed a scone and a few more sausage balls before making his way back across the newsroom to his own desk.

Chloe watched him go before turning back to Lanie. "Ok, color me clueless - what exactly am I missing here?"

Lanie pursed her lips and then grabbed Chloe's copy of the _Gazette_ from her inbox. She turned the pages until she found what she was looking for and placed it on the desk in front of her friend.

Chloe raised her eyebrows at the two page spread devoted to Oliver's activities the previous day. There were photos of Oliver at Queen Industries, including one of him with several men in business suits, probably board members. There were also photos of him arriving alone at the mayor's fundraiser the night before. But by far the most prominent photos were the ones featuring him with a tall, beautiful woman who looked to be about the same age as Oliver. Inexplicably, Chloe felt her heart sink as she looked at the full page devoted to the couple under the headline "Star City Royalty - Oliver and Ashlyn Together Again!" The photos showed them leaving the fundraiser together, followed by shots of them at the Sandpiper Club. Chloe had to admit that they looked good together - really good, if she were being honest. Ashlyn's tall, seemingly perfect body and long dark hair provided an elegant contrast to Oliver's blonde hair and athletic form. She looked at the other page again, finding the photo of her and Oliver in the bottom right corner. Was she really that short or was everyone else just freakishly tall? She looked up at Lanie, who was watching her carefully. "The media speculation is much better than I expected, actually. The photo of Oliver and me just says he had lunch with an old friend. I don't see anything to be upset about."

Lanie waved her hand at the page devoted to Oliver and Ashlyn. "So this doesn't bother you at all?"

Chloe sighed. "Lanie, I explained this yesterday - Oliver and I are just friends. He certainly has the right to date or be seen with whomever he likes. And these photos and captions are all quite complimentary, so the media must approve of his relationship with this woman."

"That's Ashlyn Sinclair, former model turned fashion designer. She started her own design label a few years ago and now Ashlyn Originals are at the forefront of the fashion world. She's also very exclusive; whereas most designers will send gowns to celebrities, Ashlyn requires everyone to come to her for a personal consultation before allowing one of her gowns to leave her store."

"You'd think that might hurt her sales," Chloe pointed out.

Lanie shrugged. "Apparently there's nothing the rich and famous love more than exclusivity because many stars, both here and abroad, have requested appointments with her, and more than a few have been turned away. Not that she needs the money anyway; the Sinclairs pretty much own the half of Star City that doesn't belong to Oliver Queen. If they were to marry, they'd be the rulers of their very own small kingdom."

Chloe ignored the twinge in her stomach as she looked at the photos again. "I gather from the headline that they've been a couple before?"

"They've certainly been linked off and on over the years, but I've never really gotten the impression that it was serious. They grew up together and at the very least they're good friends. She's credited with having a stabling influence on him and there's no denying that the cameras love them together."

Chloe folded the paper and put it aside, forcing a smile on her face. "Well I for one am just relieved that the paparazzi have a better target than me."

Lanie suddenly folded her arms, taking on a slightly aggressive posture. "Incoming," she murmured to Chloe, who turned to see Gwyn Harris advancing upon them.

Chloe suppressed a groan; she was really not in the mood to deal with Gwyn at the moment. At first glance Gwyn appeared to be someone who should be gracing the society pages, not writing about them. From her sleekly highlighted, tawny blonde hair to the tips of her Jimmy Choos, her look practically screamed designer label. Since her vapid interest in the eligible bachelors of Star City was no secret, Chloe had been expecting Gwyn to ambush her with personal questions about her connection to Oliver Queen.

"Chloe! You look fabulous today!" Chloe's eyebrows shot up at the warm greeting, while Lanie snorted loudly.

"Thanks," Chloe replied cautiously. Gwyn had never spoken more than ten words to her before today, so Chloe had no doubt as to why she was being friendly all of a sudden.

Gwyn tilted her head and smiled winningly. "Really, you're positively glowing; but then I'd be glowing too after an intimate luncheon with Oliver. You never mentioned you two were friends."

"Wow, subtlety is really not your thing, is it Gwyn?" Lanie shook her head in disbelief as she stepped forward. Gwyn was a few inches shorter than Lanie, but her heels put them at eye level with one another.

Gwyn shot Lanie a dismissive glance. "Melanie I hadn't noticed you there; funny how you always seem to fade into the background."

Chloe watched Lanie grit her teeth and hurried to intervene. "Is there something I can help you with Gwyn? Because I really need to get started on work here."

Gwyn turned her attention back to Chloe, her contemptuous expression morphing back into a charming smile. "Whenever you have time, I'd just like to ask you a few questions about your friendship with Oliver. Nothing too invasive, I promise."

Chloe shook her head. "While I appreciate that you have a job to do here just like I do, I'm not comfortable discussing Oliver with you. Any questions you have should be directed to him or to his PR department."

"Oh come on, Chloe, we're all friends here," Gwyn said encouragingly, although her smile no longer reached her eyes.

"You heard her, Gwyn, so back off." Lanie was practically bristling in her aggravation as Gwyn studiously ignored her. Chloe wondered again why the two women were so openly hostile towards one another. While she certainly didn't need Gwyn's wrath turned on her, she felt it was best to be clear.

"I'm sorry Gwyn, but I'm not talking to you or any other reporter about Oliver. He's a friend and that's all I will say on the subject. Feel free to spread the word among all the other society reporters." Chloe's tone brooked no argument and Gwyn's smile faded completely. Without another word she turned on her heel, flipping her hair as she walked away.

"Bitch," Lanie muttered. "I bet if we threw water on her, she'd turn green and melt."

"Would you mind telling me _why_ you hate her so much? You weren't exactly helping the situation here, you know. The last thing I really need is for her to be openly gunning for me in the very paper I write for." Chloe crossed her arms as she shot an expectant look at Lanie.

"She and I were roommates at Star City University," Lanie finally said reluctantly.

Chloe nearly fell off her chair. "You and Gwyn were friends?" Somehow she just couldn't picture that at all.

"She wasn't always the vicious snob we all know and hate today or at least, not openly. She certainly had me fooled up until senior year."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Chloe could sense there was a story there, but didn't want to pry.

Lanie shook her head and smiled. "Definitely one day, but not today."

"Fair enough. Lunch later?" Chloe picked up her rapidly cooling coffee and took a sip.

"Can't, but I was hoping I'd be able to convince you to come with me to the opening of the Galaxy Club tonight." Lanie shot her a hopeful look. "I have a table for dinner and everything."

"And who did you have to kill to manage that?" The Galaxy Club opening was so exclusive that even Gwyn had complained about not being able to get in.

"The DJ who's opening the club tonight owed me a favor," Lanie replied. "So, you in?"

"Absolutely," Chloe said, shaking off the pensive feeling that had settled over her since arriving at work. She had a feeling that a night out with Lanie was just what she needed.

* * *

Oliver barely glanced at the paparazzi lining the entrance of the Galaxy Club as he guided Ashlyn down the red carpet towards the entrance. "You know, sometimes I wonder if my eyesight will be permanently damaged by the flashbulbs of the cameras that follow me around the city," he joked as he ushered her inside. The hostess leaped to attention when she saw them.

"Mr. Queen, Ms. Sinclair, your table is ready. If you'll follow me?" She led them to a prominently placed table which gave them a clear view of the club and of the circular bar that dominated the center of the club. The lighting was subtle and flattering and the beat of the music from the dance floor on the opposite side of the bar was audible without being overwhelming. Oliver pulled out a chair for Ashlyn before seating himself.

Ashlyn looked around the room with an appraising eye. "Not bad, actually. I wondered what they were planning to do with such a large space. Knocking out the walls was a good move; every room seems to flow into the next and making the bar the centerpiece works well because it draws the eye. It's the perfect place to see and be seen."

"I take it that means we'll be putting in an appearance at the bar later?" he asked as he picked up his menu.

"Being seen is what it's all about in my business," she replied as she picked up her menu as well. "Which is why I so often wear my own designs at these events. When I launched my label, I only offered evening gowns for formal events. Later I expanded to include dresses for the average society girl's evening out. The dress I'm wearing tonight will be offered in my fall collection."

Oliver looked at Ashlyn appreciatively and grinned. "That is quite a dress; it looks modest until you turn around." The sleeveless purple dress draped across her shoulders, dipping only slightly in the front, but the back of the dress was entirely open, the material draping gracefully at the small of her back. The high ponytail she wore emphasized her classic features and the silver stilettos completed the sultry look.

She raised one brow and smiled. "It's all about perception. I'm not selling a dress so much as I'm selling an image."

"And that very businesslike approach to fashion is part of what has made you so successful," he observed as he caught the eye of their server.

After placing their orders and approving the wine that was brought to their table, Oliver sat back and allowed his gaze to wander around the room, his eye drawn to the bar once more. A tall, auburn haired girl caught his eye for a moment, something about her tugging at his memory. His brows drew together as he tried to place her. She laughed and placed her hand on the bar as she leaned in to talk to the bartender, and he suddenly realized it was Lanie, Chloe's friend from the _Gazette_. He began looking for Chloe, wondering if she was also there. As if in answer to his thoughts, the man next to Lanie moved to the side and Oliver could now see that Chloe was seated on a stool next to Lanie. She was talking and laughing as she engaged in a conversation with the tall man who had previously blocked Oliver's view. He now recognized the man as Mike, the sports reporter he'd met the previous day. Oliver found himself smiling as he watched Chloe. She was wearing a simple shift dress in a flattering blue-green shade, with a thin, black shrug covering her shoulders and the tops of her arms. The skirt was short and he allowed his eyes to wander the bare length of her legs down to the black, peep toe heels she was wearing. He suddenly swallowed hard, pulling his gaze back to her face as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Her hair was curled slightly, barely brushing the tops of her shoulders, and one side was clipped back away from her face. He was suddenly struck by how young she looked, something he'd never actually noticed before. Then again, he didn't think he'd ever seen her in such a normal setting where she was just having fun either. The fact that she looked so carefree made him realize the kind of stress she must have been under in Smallville and Metropolis. He felt a pang of guilt as he wondered how much he may have contributed to that.

Ashlyn noticed Oliver's preoccupation as his eyes remained on the bar.

She followed his gaze, wondering what seemed to be holding his attention. _Bingo_, she thought with amusement as she saw a tall, auburn haired girl wearing a short black dress with red heels. The girl was busy talking to the dark haired man standing next to her and seemed oblivious to Oliver's attention. But as she watched, the tall man stepped back and a smaller blonde girl came into view. Ashlyn realized then that while the dark haired man had been blocking her from this angle, Oliver had been able to see her from where he sat. She glanced over and sure enough, his eyes were following the blonde's movements. "Interesting," she murmured, eyes alight with mirth.

Oliver looked over at her. "What?"

She tilted her head toward the blonde as she smirked at Oliver. "I'm not sure if I should be relieved that you've left your days of money-grubbing skanks behind or concerned that you've apparently leaped straight into mid-life crisis jailbait territory."

Oliver smiled sheepishly. "It's not what you think."

Ashlyn looked even more amused. "Ollie, we both know you don't owe me any explanations. Despite the fun we have now and then, I have no designs on being the future Mrs. Queen."

Oliver ran a hand over his jaw. "No, I mean I know her - I've known her for a few years actually. We met in Metropolis."

Ashlyn's brows rose as she took another look at the petite blonde. "She hardly looks old enough to have been running in the same circles you frequent. She looks like a college student at best - 21, 22 maybe?"

Oliver was struck by the knowledge that he didn't exactly know how old Chloe was. "Something like that. Her name is Chloe Sullivan. She's actually the cousin of a girl I dated for a few months in Metropolis. She was a student at Metropolis University while working at the _Daily Planet _when we first met. She actually just moved here a few months ago; she's a reporter for the _Gazette_ and she's finishing her degree at SCU."

Ashlyn felt a twinge of concern. "Befriending reporters now? Surprising, given your complaints about the paparazzi."

Oliver's eyes returned to Chloe as he spoke. "She's not that kind of reporter and she has more integrity than anyone I've ever met. She also does some computer programming work for me occasionally, and she's proven that she can be trusted. I'd trust her with my life."

Ashlyn considered this. "High praise coming from you." She saw Chloe laugh at something her companions said, noting how Oliver's lips curved up as he watched her. "She sounds important to you. Do I get to meet her?"

Oliver looked back at Ashlyn, wondering why he felt so hesitant to introduce the two women. There was no reason for it, but he couldn't deny that the idea of introducing Chloe to someone he'd so recently slept with made him very uncomfortable. He suddenly wondered what Chloe thought about the ridiculous speculation regarding his involvement with Ashlyn.

Ashlyn could see his hesitation and said, "I've known you for a long time Ollie, and I don't think I've ever seen you blush - until now, that is." She found herself feeling very curious about the kind of girl who could evoke such a reaction from Oliver Queen. But her curiosity was mixed with equal parts of reserve due to the fact that Chloe was a reporter, something that could be dangerous to a man like Oliver.

Oliver snorted as he raised his wine glass. "I am definitely not blushing."

"Sorry, my mistake. Perhaps we could tell the management that you're just a little too warm all of a sudden?" She enjoyed teasing him and he was making it far too easy at the moment. She looked over at Chloe again. "She's cute - and it would seem she's also popular. It appears that both her friend and the bartender are showing some interest in your little friend."

Oliver looked over at Chloe again. Mike was frowning and Lanie looked amused as the bartender leaned in close to Chloe's ear, resting a hand lightly on hers as he said something that made Chloe laugh once more. Oliver stood abruptly. "You know what, I think I will go say hello."

Ashlyn raised her wine glass to her lips. "You go ahead, Ollie. You can introduce us later." She watched as he walked towards the bar with purposeful steps. Oliver might have fooled himself where Chloe was concerned, but she could see that his interest surpassed that of a friend. She sat back and took another sip of her wine, glad she had the perfect seat from which to view the unfolding drama. Despite her lingering reservations regarding the young reporter, she was very interested to see what might happen next.

**A/N: March was hell, but midterms are done, grades are in, and I was finally able to finish this chapter. *sigh* Thanks to Luminare91 and NovemberVisionary for reading over certain parts of this chapter and allowing me run my ideas by them. I agonized over this chapter - first because I was writing Clois interaction, and I'm not nearly as comfortable writing them together as I am writing them with other people. Second, I realize there's no direct Chlollie interaction in this chapter, but I was basically setting the mood for what's coming in the next chapter. This just felt like the natural progression of the story. If it's any consolation, the next chapter is largely Chlollie and will pick up right where this one left off. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, it's very much appreciated. Please feel free to be honest about the story, constructive criticism does not bother me at all. Next chapter up later this week :)  
**


	7. Chapter 7

Chloe leaned in against the bar and resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the bartender's outrageous flirting. Sean was a friend of Lanie's and had, on more than one occasion, attempted to convince Chloe to come home with him. She'd be lying if she said she'd never once been tempted. After all, her previous sexual experience was limited to Jimmy and if nothing else, Sean was probably a very good time in that department. But with all the upheaval in her personal life recently, she had held off, concerned that it wasn't the best time to get that involved with anyone.

Sean leaned close to Chloe once more, resting his hand on top of hers. "I think Mike is imagining ways to dismember me and hide the body," he murmured in her ear, causing her to giggle.

She slid her hand out from under his and arched one brow. "Mike is a good friend - he thinks you're a player and you're trying to take advantage of me."

Sean leaned in again. "Not exactly breaking news, Sullivan, since I've been trying to take advantage of you for about two months now. Ever going to bite?"

Chloe sipped her drink and then placed her finger on her chin as she pretended to consider his question. "Stranger things have happened - not recently, but you never know," she teased him. She enjoyed their harmless flirting as much as he did and while she felt sure that he'd be more than willing if she suddenly decided to take him up on his offer, he was also just as willing to leave it at flirting, which she appreciated. Flirting was something she'd had little opportunity to practice, surrounded by women like Lois and Lana. In Kansas she was most often the geeky tech girl, the smart girl, and the best friend. Moving to California had been a revelation of sorts. She was beginning to think that her lack of confidence in this area had been as much about how she saw herself as it had ever been about how others saw her. In meeting and befriending Lanie, she'd discovered a much more fun loving side of herself and surprisingly, it seemed that that side of Chloe attracted its fair share of attention.

"You're killing me here," Sean complained, grinning. Suddenly his smile faded as he looked over Chloe's shoulder. Before she could turn to see what he was looking at, she felt a large, warm hand slide across her back, causing her to jump.

She whirled, a look of surprise on her face as she realized who had gotten Mike's attention. "Oliver! Geez, you startled me. What are you doing here?"

"I came for dinner," he replied as he glanced over at Chloe's companions. "Lanie, Mike, good to see you again."

"You too, Oliver," Lanie replied. When Mike said nothing she poked him surreptitiously with her elbow until he muttered a greeting.

Oliver raised his brows slightly at Mike's less than welcoming attitude. He wondered if Ashlyn was correct in her assessment of Mike's interest in Chloe, a thought that unsettled him further. He turned his attention to the bartender, eyes narrowing slightly as he realized the man hadn't moved away. "So, having fun?" he asked, sliding his hand over the silk material of her shrug as he leaned in to talk to her. She tilted her head slightly and her hair brushed the back of his hand, making his fingers itch suddenly to play with the shining strands. He gave into the urge momentarily, sliding his fingertips through the ends of her curls in a move that he made certain was visible to the man standing across from Chloe. He saw the bartender's expression shift as he acknowledged the familiarity of the gesture. _That's right, Romeo, game over. Find some other girl to fall for your crap. _"Have you eaten?"

Chloe was feeling very warm and tingly in places she most definitely shouldn't be as Oliver's hand glided across her back. She barely suppressed a shiver as she felt his fingers play with the ends of her hair in what she felt certain must be an unconscious move. While she was more hesitant about physical contact with others, she'd observed that Oliver was a much more tactile person, something that she now realized was going to take a lot of getting used to. "What?"

He leaned in closer to her ear. "Have you eaten? I have a table and you guys are welcome to join me."

Chloe moistened her lips as his warm breath ghosted across her ear. She knew he wasn't doing it on purpose, but she wished he didn't have to be so handsy. More than that, she wished her brain would stop sending sexy signals to her body every time he touched her because if they were going to be friends, that was going to get inconvenient really fast. _ Dammit, what the hell was wrong with her? _"Oh, we uhm, we had a table earlier actually. The food is really good though." She looked up and realized that Sean was still standing across from her, his expression curious as he observed them together. "Oliver, this is Sean, an old friend of Lanie's. Sean, this is Oliver Queen."

Sean smirked slightly. "We've never officially met, but I've worked in a lot of the clubs in Star City, so I've seen you around."

Oliver wondered if he was imagining the implied insult there, but somehow he doubted it. "You look like you're having fun," he said, smiling at Chloe. "I wasn't sure fun was possible for you if it didn't involve computer software or coffee."

"Hey, I can be fun," Chloe protested, taking the last sip of her mojito.

"The last time I saw you having this much fun, you were breaking through the firewall on my personal computers at the penthouse just to prove you could," Oliver replied in a teasing tone.

"Yeah well, you and Victor didn't think I could do it, so proving you wrong was sort of satisfying," Chloe pointed out as she set her empty drink on the bar. "Bart was the only one who believed in me."

"Does it help that I'll never doubt you again?" Oliver slid his hand down a little toward her waist as he nodded toward her empty glass. "Want another drink?"

Chloe nodded, looking at Sean. "Anything you'd like to recommend?"

"There is a new martini I mixed up earlier with you in mind, Sullivan." Sean winked at her before looking over at Lanie and Mike. "Want anything?"

"I'll have whatever you're making for Chloe," Lanie said. "Mike?"

Mike shook his head as he placed his empty glass on the counter. "I have to take off, I have that early morning sports conference tomorrow, remember? Sure you girls aren't ready to go?"

Lanie shook her head before Chloe could answer. "Nope, I promised Chloe some fun tonight and there is still more fun to be had." And as far as she could tell, the most fun was going to be watching Chloe and Oliver stumble around the friendship zone they appeared to have placed themselves in. None of her male friends had ever invaded her personal space the way Oliver seemed comfortable doing with Chloe. She suspected part of it was some kind of signal to Sean - the male posturing had not gone unnoticed by her, and she was frankly amazed that Chloe remained oblivious to it. She hugged Mike and watched as he in turn hugged Chloe.

"Call if you girls need anything," Mike said, smiling at Chloe. "And no cabbing it home alone later, your neighborhood is way too close to the less desirable areas of this city. Stay with Lanie."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad."

Mike shook his head with a grin before nodding at Oliver and heading toward the exit. Chloe watched him leave before turning back to Oliver, who was frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Where are you living exactly, Chloe?" Oliver recalled the neighborhood cafe where he'd found Chloe on Sunday. It wasn't a bad part of town, but it was close to some areas he had previously patrolled as Green Arrow.

"Don't listen to Mike, he's worse than Clark. There's nothing wrong with my neighborhood and with the price of real estate in Star City, I'm lucky that I'm not living in a tent on the beach," she replied.

"Chloe, there has been a spike in crime in your area over the last month or so. Mike has a valid point," Lanie pointed out. "You should stay with me."

Chloe sighed. "If we leave in a couple of hours it won't be that late - and have you forgotten that I carry a tazer? I survived Metropolis on Black Thursday, so a slight spike in petty crime isn't going to have me hiding under the bed."

"I'll drive you home whenever you're ready to leave," Oliver said as he made a mental note to check on the crime statistics and add her neighborhood to his patrol. He had a feeling that a few sightings of Green Arrow would serve as a pretty good deterrent. "And you know, if you had bothered to tell me that you were moving, I could have helped you find a good place to live."

"Oliver, I'll be fine in a cab later. My neighborhood isn't on par with yours but it's really not that bad. Mike even added a new deadbolt just a couple of weeks ago."

Oliver watched Chloe as she smiled at him before turning back to Lanie. Reading people was something he'd become very good at over the years; it was a necessity in the boardroom and when patrolling, so he relied heavily on his instincts when it came to people. And yet Chloe was a lot harder to pin down than most people. She seemed to trust very few people in her world, and of those she trusted, she relied on an even smaller number. Chloe jumped to help others, but she shied away from any attempts to reciprocate. While she wanted people in her life, she was afraid to need them there - and it was something he could understand because he'd struggled with the same issues ever since his parents died.

His thoughts were interrupted when Sean returned with drinks for Lanie and Chloe. "Ladies, your martinis."

Chloe accepted the martini glass, her nose twitching. "Wait, do I smell..." her voice trailed off as she took a sip and moaned suddenly, her tongue coming out to touch her bottom lip. "Oh God, that's amazing. Did you make me a coffee martini?"

Oliver was transfixed, watching Chloe sip her drink. Her blissful expression, coupled with the sounds she was making, were ... well, _erotic_ and he was suddenly aware that it was actually turning him on. Before he could give that uncomfortable little twist any thought, he saw Sean lean closer to Chloe as he answered her question. "It has a couple of coffee liqueurs, Irish Cream - and I may have added espresso just for you. It's my own little spin on a Screaming Orgasm martini - but after watching you drink it, I'm thinking I should name it after you, especially if it's the only one you'll let me give you."

Oliver glared at the grinning bartender as Chloe choked and then laughed. "You're terrible, you realize that, right?"

Sean shrugged before looking over at Oliver. "So, a billionaire CEO and a small town reporter - sounds like an unlikely friendship. Did Sullivan here interview you?"

Oliver's hand tightened a little at Chloe's waist. "I met Chloe through a mutual friend a couple of years ago, actually. I consider her a close friend now."

Chloe took another sip of her martini as she felt warmth coursing through her, heating her cheeks. She moved off her stool and looked up at Oliver. "I think I'm going to get some air but I'll be back in a few minutes."

Oliver glanced at his table and saw that the server had arrived with their food. "It looks like our meal is being served, so I should probably get back to my table."

Chloe followed his gaze to the table and saw the woman from the society pages looking back at them with interest. "Oh... I didn't realize you were here with a date. You shouldn't have left her sitting alone for so long." In the photos Ashlyn was beautiful and even from a distance Chloe could see that the photos didn't really do her justice. She was exactly the sort of woman a man like Oliver Queen would be with - tall and stunning in her designer dress and understated yet expensive jewelry. Chloe looked down at her own dress, frowning slightly. It was cute but she had realized since arriving in Star City that her wardrobe needed some serious updating. She had spent money on business appropriate attire for her job at the _Planet_, but the rest of her clothes were definitely more cute co-ed than sex and the city and she didn't like how self-conscious that suddenly made her feel. She raised her hand to the sterling silver butterfly clip she'd slid into her hair earlier that evening. It had been a birthday present from Clark, but it suddenly made her feel young and gauche. She looked back at Oliver as he cleared his throat.

"It's not really a date. Ashlyn is an old friend of mine." Oliver's eyes followed the movement of her hand as smoothed her dress and then adjusted the silver clip in her hair. He saw that the clip was shaped like a butterfly and he noted that the delicate, simple design suited her. "I'd like to introduce you later, so I'll come find you after dinner."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah sure." She watched him walk back across the room to join his dinner companion and realized that every woman in his path was also watching him, as well as shooting envious looks toward Ashlyn. She wondered idly what it would be like to be the woman that everyone else in the room envied. It was something she'd never experienced and she ruefully acknowledged that she likely never would. She looked over at Lanie and smiled, doing her best to wipe any trace of her thoughts from her expression.

Lanie had seen the wistful look on Chloe's face as she looked at Oliver and Ashlyn together. "Everything ok?"

"Everything's fine." Chloe seated herself on the stool again and downed the rest of her martini. She looked at Sean and raised a brow flirtatiously. "So what's a girl need to do to score multiples?"

Lanie's brows shot up in surprise at that comment. Sean got pretty outrageous at times but Chloe didn't usually encourage it that much. Sean looked a little surprised as well before he leaned in and whispered something that made Chloe laugh again before moving off to get her drink. "So Oliver seemed to have an issue with Sean - that wouldn't be why you're flirting now, would it?"

"If you'll recall, I was flirting with Sean before Oliver ever walked over here. Sean knows not to take it too seriously." Chloe thought about the way her body had reacted to Oliver's proximity and frowned. "Although maybe I should take it more seriously. You realize it's been months since I've been on anything that could reasonably be construed as a date? Even before Jimmy and I broke up, things were just so hectic all the time that we rarely saw each other." And although she didn't say it, she was beginning to wonder what it might be like to have fun of the "sextastic" variety, as Lois called it. Sex with Jimmy had been nice and adequate, but his game was more of the Little League kind, and multiples had definitely not been featured anywhere in his playbook.

"Yeah, how about we don't make that decision tonight," Lanie said. "I mean, you've only been in town a few months and as much as I love Sean and I've heard he delivers in the bedroom arena, I don't think you really want to be one of his bedpost notches."

"And therein lies the problem," Chloe grumbled. "I mean, a girl has needs."

"Not to be crass, but that's what vibrators are for," Lanie replied, taking a sip of her drink. "This wouldn't have anything to do with you being attracted to Oliver, would it?"

Chloe felt the heat climb in her cheeks again; she thought about denying it but figured Lanie would call her out on it faster than Lois. "Maybe a little - apparently I learned nothing from my high school years. Oliver sees me as a friend and I have no problem with that at all - it's not like I have feelings for him or want to date him. But he's very attractive and charming and as much as I'd like to be, I'm not entirely immune."

"He's hot," Lanie agreed. "I've noticed and blondes aren't even my type. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think he's entirely immune to you either."

Chloe snorted, shooting Lanie an incredulous look. "Ok, me being attracted to Oliver just puts me in the same boat as the rest of the female population, but there is no way that Oliver is attracted to me."

"Why is that so unbelievable?" Lanie was curious as to why Chloe not only couldn't see it, but didn't even consider it within the realm of possibility.

"Because he's _Oliver Queen_, Lanie. His dates read like a Who's Who list of the world's most beautiful women and I'd be willing to bet any future Pulitzers that not one of them was the vertically challenged, girl-next-door type."

Lanie ran her finger around the base of her martini glass as she watched Chloe. "He's pretty hands on with you - and he definitely sent Sean the universal guy signal for "Back the hell off." You don't find that even a little odd?"

Chloe shrugged. "Oliver is just more tactile than most people - as for the guy signal, if he did that he was probably just being protective. His circle of friends is small and he tries to take care of the people within that circle." That she knew for a fact because she'd seen it in his actions toward his team.

Lanie didn't agree with Chloe's assessment of the situation at all, but she doubted that anything she said would change her mind at this point. She saw Sean approaching with two more martinis and leaned closer to her friend. "I vote for a change of topic and a couple of shots to go with those martinis - then I say we find the two hottest guys here and dance like the very hot, single ladies we are." She picked up the martini and sent Sean off for the shots before raising her glass to Chloe. "Game on?"

Chloe clinked her glass with Lanie's. "Game on," she answered.

**A/N: Well, this chapter totally went off in a different direction than I originally intended, so I hope it worked for everyone. There are more club scenes, but the next part wasn't completely finished so I cut it here because it's 5:00 am my time now and I have classes this evening. I'll try to finish the next part tonight or Tuesday. We'll pick up again an hour or two after this part ended with Oliver looking for Chloe in the club. Any votes for Oliver driving her home? :P**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Tadashee on LJ - I believe you wanted Chloe to embarrass herself by mentioning Oliver's chin dimple? Wish granted, and sorry it took so long :)**

Chapter 8

After dinner, Oliver led Ashlyn over to the bar as he looked around for Chloe and Lanie. Not seeing them, he caught Sean's eye behind the bar and motioned him over.

Sean finished the drinks he was mixing and handed them off to a waiter before walking over to Oliver, brows raised slightly. "What can I get you?"

"A dirty martini for the lady, and I'll have a scotch, neat," he said. Before Sean could walk away, he added, "I don't see Chloe and Lanie – they didn't leave, did they?"

Sean smirked slightly as he answered Oliver. "I think they're on the dance floor now. I offered to drive them home later, so you don't have to wait around for them since you're busy." He tilted his head toward Ashlyn, who was engaged in conversation with a few of her friends.

Oliver felt his jaw clench slightly as he looked at Sean. "That won't be necessary. I'll make sure they both get home safely. You never know what kind of guys might try to take advantage." His tone made it clear he suspected Sean might be the type to take advantage.

Sean leaned in toward Oliver. "Look man, I have a lot of respect for both Chloe and Lanie. I've known Lanie for a few years now, and while I haven't known Chloe for long, I wouldn't take advantage of her; not without her permission anyway, and I wouldn't get her wasted to help my cause."

Oliver regarded Sean for a moment before nodding. "Chloe's new in town, and since her friends and family are all out of state, I'm making it my business to watch out for her."

Sean looked amused. "Does Chloe know that? She strikes me as the type who might not appreciate an overprotective friend."

Now Oliver looked amused. "Clearly you've never met her friend Clark."

Sean straightened. "Well, you don't have anything to worry about from me, and I try to keep an eye on them when they're out. The guy Chloe's talking to now though, he's a different story. I believe he's a QI employee?"

Sean moved away to get their drinks, and Oliver looked in the direction that Sean had indicated. Sure enough, he could see Chloe on the other side of the bar dancing closely – way too closely – with Scott Fowler, a member of his legal team for overseas acquisitions. _Well hell_, he thought. Out of all the people she could have chosen to dance with, she'd picked the one guy in the place whose reputation was worse than his own. And from what Oliver had observed in the past, Scott's was mostly deserved. Scott was a couple of years older than Oliver, but he seemed to prefer picking up college co-ed types as opposed to more mature women closer to his own age. And though Oliver himself was known as a ladies' man, at least he chose women who knew exactly what to expect long before they made it to his bedroom.

When Sean returned with the drinks, Oliver picked up his scotch and turned to Ashlyn. "I found Chloe, but I think I need to run interference." He nodded toward the couple on the edge of the dance floor.

When Ashlyn spotted them, her nose wrinkled in distaste. "Scott's in action again, huh? Don't worry, I'm fine here. This is a prime networking spot."

Oliver nodded before pushing away from the bar and walking around to the dance floor. He found a spot close to the dancing couple and watched, trying to quell his irritation as Scott's hands drifted dangerously low. He knew that as soon as Scott noticed him that he would make a point to come over and greet him. He could always count on ass kissing from the ambitious attorney. It only took a few minutes for Scott to spot him, and Oliver watched as he stopped dancing and led Chloe over to the edge of the dance floor. Oliver took in Chloe's flushed cheeks and slightly dilated pupils and realized she was definitely a little drunk.

"It's nice to see you back in Star City, Oliver." Scott turned to Chloe. "This is the head of Queen Industries, Oliver…."

Oliver interrupted smoothly. "Actually, I'm already acquainted with Chloe. We've known each other for a couple of years now."

Scott's brows rose in surprise as Chloe turned to him and said, "I met Oliver in Metropolis, Scott. I didn't realize you worked for Queen Industries."

"He's part of my legal team," Oliver said. "So where's Lanie?"

Chloe looked around. "She was dancing earlier, but I don't see her now. I need to make a trip to the ladies' room, so I'll look around for her on my way. I'll be back in a few minutes." She smiled brightly at them before she walked off.

Oliver tracked her progress for a moment to make sure she was steady on her feet before turning back to Scott. The other man was beginning to look slightly ill at ease as he registered Oliver's tense posture.

Scott cleared his throat. "Small world, huh? So, how did you meet Chloe?"

"We have mutual friends in Metropolis," Oliver replied. "Look, I'm just going to be direct here and say that if your plan is to take Chloe home tonight, you should start considering your other options. She seems to have had more than her usual amount to drink, and I'll be making sure she gets home later."

Scott's eyes widened slightly. "Of course – I didn't mean to step on your toes here."

Oliver felt his jaw clenching again. "I'm going to give you some advice, Scott. Bedroom games are more fun and far less complicated when both parties know the score. Girls like Chloe deserve a little more than what you're offering." Oliver didn't wait for Scott to reply, instead walking toward the lounge area so he could intercept Chloe when she came out of the ladies' room. He was halfway around the bar when he saw Chloe downing a shot with Lanie at the far end. He walked over and leaned down to talk to Lanie. "You, Lanie, are a really bad influence."

Lanie laughed at him. "True that, but no worse than Lois, and Chloe is having fun I think." She looked over at Chloe. "You are having fun, right? What happened to the hottie you were dancing with earlier, anyway?"

Chloe looked confused for a moment. "Oh, Scott?" She looked at Oliver. "What happened to Scott?"

"Scott suddenly remembered something he had to do," Oliver replied. "He said to tell you goodbye."

Lanie smirked at Oliver knowingly as she said, "Well, that's unfortunate. Not to worry though, this place is crawling with hot guys tonight. Chloe, do you want to dance again?"

Chloe leaned her head on her hand as she looked sideways at Lanie and Oliver. "I'm still waiting for Sean to bring my drink."

"You mean this one?" Sean appeared next to her, sliding another martini in front of her.

Chloe shot a delighted smile at him as she picked up the martini and took a sip. "My hero. Do you know you make the best martinis in Star City?"

"You flatter me, Sullivan," he replied, winking at her.

Oliver eyed Chloe dubiously before raising a brow in Sean's direction. "Exactly how many of those has she had?"

Sean rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I went light on this one. You got this?" He tilted his head toward the girls.

Oliver nodded, and Sean made his way to the other end of the bar. Oliver sighed, watching as Chloe giggled over something Lanie was whispering to her. Both of the girls were clearly blitzed, Chloe more so than Lanie, and he preferred to get them home sooner rather than later. His thoughts were interrupted when Ashlyn walked around to their end of the bar.

"Having fun, I see," she said lightly, glancing over at Chloe and Lanie. Oliver noticed that Chloe straightened up as soon as she saw Ashlyn, and she and Lanie both turned to observe the other woman.

"I'm all about fun," Oliver said. "Ash, I'd like you to meet Chloe Sullivan and her friend, Lanie MacAuley. They're both reporters for the Gazette. Chloe, Lanie, this is an old friend, Ashlyn Sinclair."

Ashlyn extended her hand to both women. "It's nice to meet you both. Chloe, I hear you've only recently moved to Star City. Ollie said you previously worked for the Daily Planet?"

Chloe nodded. "I got a better job offer from the Gazette, so I transferred to SCU. I'm finishing my degree out there, but because of my previous experience, the Gazette hired me as a reporter full time."

Ashlyn nodded. "That's impressive for someone your age, although a bit unusual."

Chloe took a sip of her drink before responding. "I agree that it's unusual, but I'll be 22 in a couple of months, and I'll graduate in December. I'm a junior reporter on the city beat at the moment, so I'm actually getting more writing experience here than I was as an intern at the Planet."

"And I'm sure it's better than working for Lex. I heard that he bought the Planet, so I don't imagine that helped the integrity of the news reporting," Ashlyn remarked.

Chloe downed the rest of her martini. "Yeah, Lex wouldn't recognize integrity if it bit him in the ass. I just hope he doesn't run the paper into the ground." Her cheeks flushed even more as she said this, a flash of anger darkening her eyes for a moment.

Lanie pushed the last shot in front of Chloe. "Ok, enough talk about Lex. This night was supposed to be all about fun for you, Chloe. Clearly you didn't get enough of that in Kansas." Lanie made a face at her, and Chloe laughingly agreed with her as she downed the shot.

Oliver watched Chloe for a moment, feeling unsettled. He'd never really thought about whether Chloe's life was fun or not. Their relationship had never really veered into that territory, and he suddenly realized he had no idea how Chloe had spent her free time in Smallville. He's always assumed that she spent the majority of her time with Clark, Lois and Jimmy, but now he was forced to adjust his mental picture of her. He was sensing that she'd been more about work than fun; between her classes and internship, helping Clark, and the work she'd been doing for him, he wondered if she'd really had time for anything approaching a normal life. Then there was the fact that at least half of her life had to be kept secret from both Lois and Jimmy, and he knew perfectly well what kind of havoc that wreaked on personal relationships. It suddenly struck him that she was far too young to be so utterly _responsible_ all the time; responsible for Clark's secrets, not to mention the rest of the Justice League, and responsible for finding the answers they needed when planning a mission. Yet she did it all so calmly and effortlessly that he'd never questioned whether or not it was too much for her.

He was suddenly glad that she'd made the move to Star City because now he could help change all of that. He could see that Lanie was a good friend for her, pushing her to act more like the young twenty-something she really was. And while watching strange men flirt with her brought out his protective instincts, he also knew it was just harmless fun for her.

Oliver leaned against the bar as he said, "How about this? You two have a little more 'fun' and I'll drive you both home in about an hour." When Chloe opened her mouth, Oliver stopped her. "You're not taking a taxi alone this late, Chloe. And if you insist on the taxi, I'll just follow behind you in my car. Either way, I'm escorting you safely home."

Lanie and Ashlyn were clearly suppressing their amusement as Chloe huffed in exasperation. "Fine, but I'd just like to point out that I've survived far worse than a taxi ride home alone. There's a reason I carry a Taser, you know."

"That's true, but when you have friends that care about your safety, there's no reason to take a risk." Oliver had no intention of backing down, and he grinned when Chloe rolled her eyes and nodded her agreement.

Lanie flagged Sean, who slid two more shots in front of them. Oliver watched as the girls downed the shots before heading back out to the dance floor. He felt Ashlyn's eyes on him as he turned to her. "Sorry, I guess I should have asked you what your plans were for the evening. Will you be ready to leave in an hour?"

Ashlyn shook her head. "Probably not, but I assumed that I would stay here longer than you, so my driver will be picking me up around midnight."

"Are you sure?" Oliver asked. "I can swing back by here to pick you up after I drop off Lanie and Chloe."

"I'll be fine with my driver, but I'm glad you're not letting them go home alone." Ashlyn seemed to consider her next words carefully. "Does it ever concern you that Chloe is a reporter?"

Oliver wondered where she was going with that question as he asked, "What do you think I should be worried about?"

Ashlyn shrugged, taking a sip of her martini. "Your privacy, for one thing; I'm sure there are quite a few aspects of your life that you don't need splashed across the front page of the Gazette."

Oliver had to laugh at that. "You really don't need to worry about that. Chloe is the most trustworthy person I've ever met, and we both know I'm not a man who trusts people without a damn good reason."

Ashlyn nodded, her gaze contemplative. "That's true, which is why your complete faith in her worries me a little. She's young and, I assume, ambitious; are you sure that blind trust is a good idea?"

Oliver met her eyes directly, his expression serious. "It's not blind trust when you have proof. Chloe has had ample opportunity to betray my trust before now, and it's never been an issue. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Chloe would never betray a friend's secrets; it's just not in her nature."

Ashlyn smiled. "Then you're very lucky to have a friend like her."

Oliver glanced over at the dance floor, watching as Chloe and Lanie danced together. "I won't argue with that." Before Oliver could say anything else, they were interrupted by more business acquaintances. Oliver greeted a few people he had done business with in the past while Ashlyn talked to several women, inviting a few to come to her store for a fitting, and tactfully declining a few others.

A little over an hour later, Oliver escorted Chloe and Lanie out of the club. While Lanie was walking pretty well under her own steam, Chloe was taking slow and careful steps as she held onto Oliver's arm. "Are you ok?" he asked, biting his lip to avoid laughing at the look of concentration on Chloe's face as she placed each foot forward with military like precision.

His voice apparently startled her, causing her to lose her balance. Oliver slid his arm around her quickly, and Lanie snorted with laughter as Chloe grabbed onto Oliver. "I'm fine," she insisted. "This sidewalk is uneven." She glared at the offending sidewalk before she looked back at him, smiling.

Oliver chose not to respond, instead pulling her closer and leading both women to the valet stand and helping them into his waiting sports car. Lanie gave him directions to her apartment building first, and then explained how to get to Chloe's neighborhood. The drive to Lanie's was quick, as she lived closer to the city center. Chloe was now dozing off in the back seat, so Oliver sat outside Lanie's building and waited for her to text him that she was safely inside. The drive to Chloe's neighborhood took a little longer. Oliver took note of the area as he pulled into the parking lot of Chloe's apartment complex. It wasn't a bad neighborhood exactly, but Oliver had passed a few young men about a block back whose activities had looked a little suspicious. It was also a little closer to the shipping docks than he would have liked, which meant that crime could easily creep into this area.

He parked the car and helped Chloe out. She blinked sleepily at him when he asked for her key, but she finally opened her small bag and handed it over to him. Oliver kept his arm around her as they walked into the building. The front entrance was unsecured, something else that made him uneasy. When they reached her floor, he used her keys to unlock the two basic locks – one standard lock and one deadbolt. Oliver thought they looked a little flimsy, although he noticed the new deadbolt that Mike had apparently installed was a stronger one that could only be unlocked from the inside. Once inside, Oliver carefully locked the door and turned to find Chloe bending over and trying, rather unsuccessfully, to undo the straps that held her heels in place. She suddenly muttered to herself, nearly falling forward on her face before righting herself and landing back on the sofa instead.

Oliver laughed. "Having a problem there?"

Chloe shot him a baleful look, clearly exasperated. "You could help instead of laughing at me."

Oliver smirked as he strolled over and knelt down in front of her. He removed first one strappy sandal, then the other, and Chloe wiggled her toes gratefully. He reached for one foot and dug his thumbs into the sole, causing her to moan. He cleared his throat, looking up at her blissful expression. "Better?" he asked softly.

"Much better," she sighed. "I guess sore feet are the price of fun."

Oliver continued to rub her foot gently but firmly. "Your feet are so small," he observed.

Chloe leaned her head back. "No smaller than the rest of me."

He mentally acknowledged the truth of that. When Chloe was in motion, which was almost always, he never thought about her physical size much; she had so much presence that it just didn't immediately register. The first time he had really thought about it had been on the rooftop of the Planet when Dinah had come after her. He had felt guilty for several days for putting her in a situation that had gotten her hurt.

Chloe suddenly giggled, and Oliver looked up at her with a grin. "Did I hit a ticklish spot?"

Chloe shook her head, still smiling. "I was just thinking about all the women back at that club who would kill to be _out_ of my shoes right now." She snorted with laughter again as she continued, "You were the prime topic of conversation every time I went to the ladies' room, you know."

Oliver shrugged with false modesty. "I can't help the fact that I'm so irresistible," he teased her.

Chloe looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "What is that like?"

Oliver looked up again as he switched to her other foot. "What is what like?"

"Being irresistible," she asked him softly.

Oliver laughed again. "Not that I'm saying I'm irresistible to all women, but it's not as great as you might think."

"Says the man who has women throwing themselves at him," Chloe pointed out. "You really have no idea what it's like for the rest of us."

"You weren't exactly a wallflower tonight," Oliver said. "I'm assuming quite a few men asked for your number? And quite a few more would have offered to take you home if I hadn't been there."

Chloe sighed as she leaned back again. "That part was kind of nice – the flirting and feeling…."

Oliver looked at her again when she didn't continue. "Feeling what?"

"Feeling wanted," she murmured quietly. "I've never really felt that way before moving to Star City."

Oliver pondered that for a few minutes, wondering what her relationship with Jimmy had been like if she had never felt wanted by him. And then there was Clark; he had once gotten the impression that her relationship with Clark was rather complicated. He wondered if she'd had feelings for him – perhaps unrequited feelings. He made a conscious effort to push those thoughts away, more than a little uncomfortable imagining Chloe with Clark in a romantic

context. He glanced up at her again and seeing her yawn, he stood and helped her up. "It's bedtime for you I think."

She leaned her head against him. "My feet are so relaxed now that I'm not sure I can make them walk to my bedroom. No wonder women find you so irresistible."

Oliver lifted her up suddenly, causing her to let out a small yelp. He smirked at her as he said, "These hands have many talents, so I hope you're not implying that women only want me for my foot rubs."

Chloe looked at him, humor glinting in her green eyes. "Well, there's the foot rubs, and then there's this." She touched one finger gently to the cleft in his chin as Oliver walked the few steps to her bedroom. "It's kind of …. lickable." She smiled at him once more before resting her head on his shoulder.

And just like that, the mood between them shifted. Oliver swallowed, uncomfortably aware of the fact that his body was responding to both her touch and her words. She seemed unaware of the response she had just elicited from him, and he set her down carefully beside the bed. He watched as she moved to lie down, reaching for the blanket at the foot of her bed.

"Thanks Ollie. Night," she murmured, falling asleep almost instantly.

Oliver stood there for a moment as he tried to figure out what had just happened. With one little touch – on his chin, of all places – Chloe had gotten him completely turned on. She clearly hadn't meant it to be seductive, so what was wrong with him? He rubbed his hand down his face and walked out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. He found a bottle of water in the refrigerator and walked back to place it on the nightstand beside Chloe's bed. He glanced at her once more, hesitating before reaching out to smooth a lock of hair away from her face. He sighed and went back to the living room, cursing suddenly as he realized that he would need a key to lock up her apartment when he left. He could lock one of the locks before shutting the door, but one deadbolt would require a key and the other one could only be locked from inside.

He went back to the kitchen, searching through drawers for a spare set of keys. Having no luck, he went to the desk in her living room and searched those drawers. Coming up empty, he glanced at the rather small sofa and resigned himself to an uncomfortable night's sleep. He found a pillow and blanket in the hall closet, removed his jacket and shoes, and settled his tall frame on the sofa. After twisting and turning for a minute, he closed his eyes and tried not to think about Chloe in the bed just a few feet away. Because if there was one woman in the world he definitely had no business thinking of in that way, it was Chloe Sullivan.

**Author's Note: I realize it's been a ridiculously long time since I updated this story. The problem was that Chapter 7 took a detour, which affected future chapters I'd already planned out. Between teaching and my freelance writing work, I just had less time to work out my plotting issue. I think I've got it now though, so I'm very sorry to those of you who have waited so long for this update. I will do my best to make sure that doesn't happen again, even if I have to post shorter updates.**

**Up Next: The tabloids have a Chlollie field day, Oliver deals with an angry Lois and a hung over (and embarrassed) Chloe, Ashlyn invites Chloe for lunch and a girl chat, and Chloe's getting threatening letters at the Gazette.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A loud noise jarred Oliver from a restless sleep. Realizing it was his phone ringing, he sat up quickly and grabbed it from the coffee table beside him, striking his kneecap on the corner of the table in the process. "Fuck," he swore as he answered his phone. "Hello?"

"For a guy who presumably spent last night engaged in a wild threesome with my cousin, you don't sound too chipper! What the hell, Ollie?"

Oliver winced as Lois' angry voice reverberated loudly from his phone. He promptly hit the down button on the volume, wondering if she had been this loud when they dated. "Lois, do you know what time it is?"

"It's 8:30, so time to be up and at 'em. And where the hell is my cousin?"

Oliver looked at his watch and groaned. "Lois, it's 8:30 in Metropolis, but here in California it's a little earlier than that."

"Trust me, you're going to need the extra time this morning for damage control before I fly out there and kick your ass," Lois retorted. "And if your PR team can't do a better job than this, they'll be on my shit list too. I mean, I ask you to take care of my baby cousin, and instead she gets dragged into your very crowded bedroom."

Oliver leaned back and took a deep breath as he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. "Ok, first of all, I practically had to blackmail you before you told me where to find Chloe. And second of all, what the hell are you even talking about?"

"The news, Oliver! Jesus, you're a CEO and a vigilante, you'd think you'd be able to follow along better than this! There are photos of you, Chloe and Lanie all over the tabloid websites this morning amid speculation that you took them home for some two-on-one fun while your date was left to fend for herself and went home alone!"

Oliver drew the phone away from his ear slightly as she shouted at him. "Lois, you can't possibly believe that Chloe, Lanie and I were involved in a threesome last night. I took Lanie home and then I brought Chloe back to her place. And yes, I stayed here at Chloe's apartment because I couldn't find a spare key to use to lock up behind me, but I slept on the couch – the very small and very uncomfortable couch, I might add."

"Your PR people better start spinning then because the tone of the gossip is not at all kind to Chloe, and I'm sure this will all be in the papers tomorrow, followed by the gossip magazines. Hell, they're probably waiting outside for the money shot of you leaving this morning, too. We both know Chloe does not deserve that kind of attention, and she definitely won't appreciate it."

Oliver winced, closing his eyes and rubbing his hand down his face. Loud she might be, but Oliver knew Lois had a point. Chloe would definitely not appreciate her name being dragged through the mud, not when she was trying to concentrate on finishing her degree and building a name for herself as a reporter. If the gossip was as bad as Lois said, he'd be lucky if she allowed herself to be seen with him again. "Look, I'll take care of it, alright? I will get my PR team on the phone as soon as I hang up with you, and I will make sure this is cleared up."

"You'd better. And as soon as I can clear my schedule, and finish up some of these stories I'm working on, I'll be coming out there for a visit. If Chloe's not happy when I get there, I won't be happy – and if I'm not happy, I can promise that you won't be happy either. Do we understand each other?"

"We'll all be unhappy, I get it," Oliver said dryly. "Are we done now? Because apparently I have some calls to make."

Lois' response was to hang up on him, and Oliver sighed as he scrolled through his phone directory for Jay Halston and then waited for the other man to answer. "Jay, it's Oliver Queen. I'm afraid we have a little situation to deal with this morning."

Jay cleared his throat. "I'm aware, actually. You asked me to keep an ear out for any negative press about your friendship with Chloe Sullivan, and one of my team members called about an hour ago to let me know about the photos and speculation that popped up on the tabloid sites this morning. I'm on my way into the office now."

"How bad is it, exactly?" Oliver asked. "I got my own wakeup call this morning, but I haven't actually seen anything yet."

"For you, it's nothing we haven't dealt with before. It will be worse for Miss Sullivan because the one thing the tabloid sites all seem to have in common is that they are pitting Miss Sullivan against Miss Sinclair. They've basically turned it into a catfight, or at least the appearance of one."

_Ok, that's not good_, Oliver thought. He was pretty sure Chloe would not be amused by any part of this mess. He wondered if he could possibly keep it from her for a day until they had a chance to get a handle on the situation, but just as quickly dismissed the idea. Short of refusing to allow Chloe to leave her apartment or have access to her computer and phone, there was no way to prevent her from hearing about the tabloid rumors. "Look, I need you to take care of this as quickly and as quietly as possible. Obviously money is not a concern, so do whatever you have to do. "

"It would help if the three of you could be seen together – you, Miss Sinclair and Miss Sullivan, I mean," Jay suggested. "That would serve to eliminate the idea that the two of them are competing for you."

Oliver tried not to imagine how awkward that scenario would be, especially knowing that tabloid reporters were lurking somewhere and snapping photos. "I'll get back to you on that. In the meantime, keep me in the loop today." He hung up and glanced at his watch. It was now just after 7:00, so he headed into the kitchen to see what Chloe had for breakfast. He'd need to wake her up soon because he knew she was usually at work before 9:00. He hoped that if he had breakfast and coffee ready that she might not want to kill him after he told her what was going on. A quick look through her cupboards and refrigerator revealed tuna salad from a downtown deli, slightly stale bread, and little else, so he decided to go down to the corner café and bring breakfast back for her. He found her keys and was quietly locking the door when a voice behind him made him jump. He turned quickly, surprised to see that the person who'd snuck up on him was an older lady, probably in her late sixties. She was rather short but had a trim figure for her age, with short, gray hair that curled a bit under her jaw. Twinkling blue eyes met his wary brown ones.

"I'm sorry, dear; I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you might be Chloe, so I was coming to bring her breakfast." She held up a covered container and a thermos of coffee. "I'm Mrs. Chandler – I live right here, so I always hear her coming and going."

"Right," Oliver said. "I'm a friend of Chloe's. I was actually just going to get breakfast."

"Oh, there's no need. I have enough for both of you if you'll just wait a moment." She disappeared back into her apartment, returning a few minutes later with a second covered container. "Chloe is such a dear, always bringing me groceries and helping me with things around the apartment. Her friend Mike even fixed my sink a few weeks ago, and he installed a much sturdier lock on my door. I'm afraid the building super is rather lazy, and not one to do a very good job even when he does show up. So, I try to make sure Chloe gets at least a few good meals every week." She handed over the containers and the thermos.

Oliver smiled as he accepted the offering. "Thank you, Mrs. Chandler. I'm Oliver, by the way."

"Oh, I know who you are, dear. I've lived in Star City all my life. Now, you look like you need a bit more than scones and muffins in the morning, so I put some eggs and bacon on your plate. I was already cooking when I heard you, so it was no trouble. I clipped Chloe's article this morning too – would you mind giving it to her?" She held out a newspaper clipping and beamed at him as she patted his arm. "You tell Chloe to bring you by for dinner soon."

Oliver watched as Mrs. Chandler disappeared back into her apartment before turning to unlock Chloe's door again. He had just deposited everything on the coffee table when he heard Chloe coming out of her bedroom. He turned to find her staring at him rather blearily.

"What are you doing here?" Chloe asked. She looked completely confused about his presence in her apartment.

"I brought you home last night, remember?"

"Yes, but didn't you go home after that?" She walked across the room and sat on the sofa as she yawned again. "God, what time is it?"

Oliver glanced at his watch, thinking that after being ambushed by Lois, planning strategy with his PR guy, and being startled by the stealthy little old lady next door, he should really be calling it a day, not starting the day. "It is almost 7:30. Do you want some coffee?"

Chloe tilted her head at him. "Do I have coffee? I thought I ran out yesterday."

Oliver held up the thermos. "Courtesy of Mrs. Chandler, who, I'm convinced, is part ninja with ears like a bat."

Chloe was already in the kitchen, pouring coffee from the thermos into a mug. Her lips curved up at Oliver's words. "Don't tell me that a little old lady got the jump on you, Arrow." She shook her head and made a disapproving noise. "Someone needs to up his training, I think."

Oliver snorted. "I had other things on my mind."

Chloe took an appreciative sip of her coffee as she peeked inside the containers from her neighbor. "This one must be yours," she said, handing over the plate containing bacon and eggs and passing him a fork. She pulled a muffin from the other container and took a bite. Swallowing, she asked, "Not that I don't appreciate the ride home last night, but why didn't you go home?"

"I couldn't find a spare key and without a key, I'd have been leaving you here with one very flimsy lock protecting you. And you were kind of passed out, so I wasn't sure if you'd wake up enough to lock the door behind me." He ate a few bites of the omelet that Mrs. Chandler had prepared. "Wow, this is really good."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I won the lotto when it comes to neighbors. She insists on feeding me several times a week, so I bring her groceries and help her out with other things. Her husband passed away last year, and her daughter lives out of state, so I think she gets lonely. You know, she told me that she knew your parents – apparently she used to be a nurse at the hospital here."

Oliver raised his brows in surprise. "Really? She knew who I was this morning, but she didn't mention my parents. Not surprising though if she worked at the hospital; my mom helped out there as often as she could." Oliver took another bite of his omelet as he eyed Chloe rather warily, wondering how to tell her about the gossip sites. "Chloe, there's something I actually need to talk to you about this morning."

Chloe finished off her muffin, glancing at the clock as she jumped up and refilled her coffee mug from the thermos. "Can it wait until after I shower? I feel like my brain has cobwebs at the moment."

Oliver hesitated before nodding, and Chloe took off for the bathroom. As she got her things together and started running water in the shower, she wondered what Oliver needed to talk to her about. He had sounded kind of serious, so she supposed it might be League related. She quickly undressed and stepped under the warm spray, letting it wash away her fatigue. She had had a lot more to drink last night than usual, so she was surprised she wasn't suffering from the mother of all hangovers. She was tired, and she did have a slight headache, but the food, coffee, and shower were making her feel more human. She supposed the water Oliver had made her drink in the car helped too, and she smiled as she remembered how sweet he had been when helping her into the apartment the night before. But that memory was followed by other memories, and Chloe's hands stilled as she rinsed shampoo from her hair. She remembered him rubbing her feet, and she had asked him what it was like being irresistible to women, something that seemed to amuse him. But then she remembered the women from the bathroom the night before, and the way they had been discussing Oliver and all of their favorite parts of him, including his dimpled chin. She vaguely remembered thinking that she needed to tease Oliver about it, but now she was pretty sure her retelling had taken a U-turn somewhere. She covered her face with her hands, groaning – had she really told Oliver that his chin was _lickable_? God, no wonder he wanted to talk to her this morning; he probably thought she had been hitting on him and he wanted to reestablish the lines of friendship. And while no one ever died from embarrassment, she felt certain the coming conversation with him was going to test her humiliation threshold.

It was a much more subdued Chloe who joined Oliver in the living room about forty-five minutes later; Oliver had used the time to check some of the photos on the gossip sites for himself, and to say he was not looking forward to telling Chloe about the situation was an understatement. They eyed each other warily for a moment before they both started speaking at the same time.

"Chloe, I just want to say…"

"Oliver, I really need to explain…"

They both stopped, laughing a little uncomfortably. Oliver cleared his throat, gesturing for her to go first.

Chloe took a deep breath. "Look, I think I know why you want to talk to me this morning." She took a seat beside him on the couch and forced herself to look directly at him.

"You do?" Oliver wondered how she had found out so quickly; maybe someone had called or sent her a text?

Chloe nodded. "And I can certainly see why you might think I was hitting on you, but I'd just like to point out that I was more than a little drunk; and really it wasn't even what I was thinking, it was all those women in the bathroom. I was really just repeating what other women were saying about you, so you can see why it's nothing to be worried about. We're friends – just friends."

Oliver found himself wondering how it was possible for Chloe to talk that fast – out of her little ramble, he'd basically gotten something about talking to some women in a bathroom, but had no idea why it was an upsetting topic for her. "Was someone talking about you last night?"

Chloe sighed in exasperation. "They weren't talking about me, they were talking about you – pay attention, Oliver, this is embarrassing enough without having to repeat it." She was starting to look a little annoyed.

And apparently nonsensical rambling was a Sullivan-Lane trait. "Ok, what were they saying about me?" Oliver asked cautiously.

Chloe was now blushing a little as she said, "You know, they were talking about you and your, uh…assets. They mentioned your chin a few times, and that's the only reason I even thought about it. So, you can see that we don't really have to talk about this." She squirmed as she saw understanding dawn on Oliver's face, followed by a wide grin.

"Oh, you mean the fact that you find me lickable? Don't worry, I don't hold that against you – in fact, I can think of better places than my chin, but if that's what does it for you…oof!" Oliver broke off as Chloe threw a small pillow at him before she started to laugh.

"Ok, fine, tease all you want. Geez, I'm going to have to ask Sean what was in those martinis," she replied as she rolled her eyes at him.

Oliver's grin faded and he pulled her laptop forward on the coffee table, opening it to reveal Chloe's password screen. "I wish that was what I needed to talk to you about, but unfortunately it's something a little more serious. You and I – and Lanie and Ashlyn, I'm afraid – are headlining the gossip sites this morning."

Chloe's smile faded. "Wait, what?" She jerked her laptop forward and typed in her password. "Which sites?"

Oliver hesitated. "All of them?"

Chloe's fingers moved with lightning speed across the keyboard as she brought up different sites – the _Planet_, the _Gazette_, and a host of others. They all featured similar photos, although Chloe noticed the spin was a little different for each site. The _Planet_ showed the most flattering photos of her with Oliver, but they also showed him helping her into her apartment building, followed by heavy innuendo about what happened next. It was the _Gazette_ photos and headlines that infuriated her. In one photo, Chloe appeared to be falling-down-drunk as Oliver helped first her into the car, followed by Lanie. This photo had been placed beside one of Ashlyn, looking tired but regal as she left the Galaxy Club alone. Chloe's mouth fell open at the caption below the photos – 'Apparently two girls _are_ better than one; Oliver Queen leaves the Galaxy Club with _Gazette_ reporters Chloe Sullivan and Lanie MacAuley. Wonder what headline they were working on?'

Chloe opened her mouth, but for once words failed her.

Oliver winced at Chloe's shocked expression. He didn't think he'd ever seen her at a loss for words. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I want you to know that my PR people are already working on this. I was a little surprised that the _Gazette_ printed something like this about its own reporters, but I left a message for your editor earlier. I have a feeling he didn't know about it."

"I am going to kill Gwyn Harris," Chloe finally said. "She was mad at me for not commenting on our friendship, and there's already bad blood between her and Lanie, so I have a feeling she's behind this. Regardless, I cannot believe that she blatantly insinuated that we were involved in a threesome – and that I'm basically prostituting myself for a story angle of some sort?" Her voice rose with each word until she practically shouted the last part. "If she wanted to throw down, she's picked a good opening gambit; I hope she's ready for mine!"

Oliver watched Chloe viciously stab at the keyboard, slightly fascinated by the fact that when enraged, her eyes turned an even brighter shade of green as a red flush tinged the apples of her cheeks. "Chloe, let's not get carried away here. I don't blame you for being upset, and I'm not happy about it either, but let's not start a war with the gossip reporters. We still have print to look forward to tomorrow, although I'm hoping my people can shut the nastier speculation down by then."

"Gwyn will be lucky if she's printing anything tomorrow; by the time I'm done hacking her computer and phone to get all of her sources, which I'll then post on the web, she'll have bigger problems to worry about," Chloe informed him grimly.

"Ok, you and Lois are scary, you know that? Let's just take a deep breath and calm down here. I don't like this either; the implication that I'm engaging in threesomes with reporters will not look good to my board of directors, and it's not like I'm into that kind of thing." When Chloe shot him an incredulous look, he said defensively, "Well I'm not…not anymore, anyway. I may still encourage the playboy gossip from time to time, but it's all within acceptable limits. Come on, stop typing and breathe," he encouraged her, putting his own hands over hers to still them.

Chloe took a few deep breaths, and she had to admit she did feel a bit calmer. "So you're saying I shouldn't go forward with my plan to annihilate Gwyn's career as a reporter?"

Oliver let out a slight laugh, squeezing her hands gently. "Why don't we wait until I hear back from Jay and see what he's able to accomplish today? If he can't help us, I'll fully endorse your seek-and-destroy mission. Lois and Lanie will probably help, and poor Gwyn won't know what hit her." He stood up and grabbed his jacket. "I need to get going – do you want a ride to the paper? I saw your car parked at Lanie's building last night." When Chloe hesitated, Oliver said, "I doubt being seen with me this morning is going to make anything worse; at least we won't look like we have anything to be ashamed of."

Chloe sighed. "You're right – give me five minutes."

They made it out of her building without incident, although Chloe noticed a couple of cars parked across the road. She suspected they belonged to photographers, but ignored them as she and Oliver got into his car and headed to downtown Star City. After Oliver dropped her off, Chloe tilted her chin up and walked briskly into the _Gazette_ building. She felt her phone buzz and looked down to see that Lois was calling again. She briefly considered allowing it to go to voicemail, but figured she should get it over with. "Lois, I'm walking into work so now is not the best time to talk."

"I hope you're planning to go straight to the editor about what the society reporter posted," Lois replied. "Who the hell is this bitch anyway?"

"Gwyn Harris – she's a social climbing, society fringe dweller who uses her reporter status to meet men who can help keep her in the luxury she would like to become accustomed to," Chloe paused to swipe her ID card at the security desk. "Trust me, I plan to talk to the editor today and if Gwyn continues to come after me in print, she will _really_ regret it."

"That's my girl," Lois said approvingly. "Sullivan-Lane's don't get mad…"

"-they find the enemy's weakness and fire at will," Chloe repeated laughingly. "The General taught us well – wait, you don't think he's heard about this do you?" That was a truly embarrassing thought.

"He probably got the news with his morning coffee," Lois said. "If any of his girls make the news, he knows about it. Gwyn will be lucky if she's not topping some kind of government watch list by noon, but that's her problem. What about your dad?"

Chloe got the same sinking feeling she always did when she thought about her dad. "We haven't really spoken in a while, so I doubt he'll be too concerned. He's not really the type to read the tabloids anyway."

"Does he know that you moved to California?"

Chloe placed her computer bag on her desk and sat down. "I called him to let him know my new address and phone number, but I haven't spoken to him since then. We're just not that close, you know that." Her tone was casual, but she felt the familiar hurt creep over her as she thought about her dad. "Meanwhile, I have an editor to talk to, so I'll call you later, ok?" She knew that Lois was tempted to meddle when it came to family issues, and she wanted to cut that conversation off before it started; she definitely couldn't deal with that on top of everything else today.

Lois seemed to sense this because she didn't push it. "Ok, call me later and let me know what Oliver's PR team gets done; I've already yelled at him today for his part in this."

"It's not his fault, Lois; you know that. He was pretty upset about it and I think he was worried that I was going to blame him for it, but I'm not going to let petty gossip affect our friendship." Chloe saw Lanie headed her way with Mike following closely behind. "Gotta go, but I'll call you later."

Lanie stopped at Chloe's desk. "You've heard, right? Gwyn is hiding at the moment, but when she crawls out of her hole I have a few words for her." When Mike snorted, she rounded on him. "Hey, when your 80-year-old grandmother calls you first thing in the morning to ask if it's true that you're playing 'sex games' with Hugh Hefner and his Playmates, you can pass judgment on my outrage."

Chloe's brows flew up and despite her own earlier outrage, she felt her lips twitch. "Sex games with Playmates?"

Lanie sighed. "Well, she got the story from her friend Margaret, who got it from her bridge partner Adele, who heard it from some apparently senile woman whose name I can't remember, who heard it from God knows who… somehow in the retelling, there was some confusion about which billionaire I was getting it on with."

Chloe started laughing. "I'm sorry, but you have to admit it's kind of funny."

"Yeah, it was funny until my mom called thirty minutes later to say that she and my dad saw this crap online – apparently my brother's girlfriend saw it, called him, and he opened his big mouth at breakfast – something he'll be appropriately sorry about later," Lanie muttered.

Chloe felt that earlier pang again. "You have family that's concerned – trust me, that's a good thing."

"Are we all calm now?" Mike asked. "I've been tailing Lanie since she got here because I actually feared for Gwyn's life. She has balls, I'll give her that."

"We're calm," Chloe assured him. "I have a plan that would effectively neuter Gwyn, but if I decide to carry it out, it would be done with a cool head; Sullivan-Lane war motto."

Lanie looked interested in this as Mike put his hands up and made a show of backing away from them slowly. "So, what's the plan?"

"First, to talk to the editor-in-chief," Chloe replied.

"Not necessary – Harry is already in there," Lanie said smugly, referring to their own editor, Harry Kiesler. "He was yelling about responsible reporting earlier, so I'm fairly certain none of this will make it into print in the _Gazette_; unfortunately, that still leaves a lot of gossip rags we have to worry about."

"Oliver has his PR team working on the worst of it. That's really all we can do right now, so I suggest that we get to work. The last thing we want is for everyone here to think Gwyn is getting to us," Chloe advised as she booted up her computer. "Lunch later?"

"I have a few sources to talk to this morning, but I should be back by 1:00 or so."

Lanie headed back across the newsroom, and Chloe logged in to check her _Gazette_ email. Her brows flew up when she saw that she had close to 100 new emails. Curiously, she opened a few of them and quickly realized they were either from tabloid reporters requesting a statement about her involvement with Oliver, or they were from readers expressing their opinions about what they'd seen online. Aside from one or two people who apparently had issues with Ashlyn, the overwhelming majority seemed to think Chloe was a home wrecking whore – no matter that Oliver and Ashlyn were not actually a couple. Chloe leaned her head on her hand as she set about clearing her inbox, raising her brows at a few of the more colorful insults. The idea that she'd start getting hate mail hadn't actually occurred to her, but she realized now that it probably should have. She reminded herself that it wasn't the first time; her stories in high school hadn't won her any popularity contests either. If the opinions of her peers hadn't made her crack, random emails from strangers wouldn't either.

After clearing her inbox, she began researching a few leads she had. Three hours and a few phone calls later, she was ready to spend the afternoon writing up her notes on a new story that she'd been working on for a couple of weeks. When she had begun her research, it had strictly been a piece on an aide organization's philanthropic efforts, but Chloe was certain she now had enough evidence to push it into crime reporting. She didn't have enough to go to print yet, but she knew where to go to get what she needed. She went to the break room for a coffee refill and then began sorting through the mail that had been dropped off earlier. One envelope made her pause; it was small and plain, and her name was written on the front in black ink. She turned it over, but there was no address, so clearly it had been dropped off rather than mailed. She slid her letter opener across the top and pulled out a small, white page folded neatly in half. She opened it – two lines slanted across the page in unevenly printed letters:

'Keep digging and you'll be digging your own grave. Back off, bich.'

"Popular girl – fan mail?"

Chloe turned to find Ashlyn Sinclair standing behind her chair staring at her curiously. "Fan mail, hate mail – it's a fine line when you're a reporter," Chloe quipped as she quickly folded the page and shoved it into her laptop bag.

"So I see – do you often get threats about your stories?"

Chloe shrugged, appearing more nonchalant than she felt. "They can't spell 'bitch', so I doubt I'm dealing with a criminal mastermind."

Ashlyn tilted her head as she gave Chloe an appraising look. "Interesting outlook, I suppose. So, you're probably wondering what I'm doing here."

Chloe leaned back against her desk casually, aware that everyone in the newsroom was watching the two of them carefully. "If it's about the photos posted online this morning, Oliver has his PR people working on it, and my editor has already had a chat with the editor-in-chief, so I think it's mostly handled."

"Nice to know, but I'm actually here to invite you to lunch. I can call for a table at The Garden for 1:00 if that's ok?" Ashlyn smiled at her questioningly.

Chloe hid her surprise, instead returning the other woman's smile. "Sure – that's only a block from here, so I can meet you there."

Ashlyn's smile widened. "Great, I'll see you soon." She turned to walk out of the newsroom, appearing oblivious to all of the people who stared at her as she left. Chloe sat back down at her desk, pointedly ignoring the stares now directed at her. _Gossip, hate mail, death threats, and now a lunch invitation from a woman I don't know if I should call friend or foe_, Chloe thought ruefully. _Good thing I don't scare easily._

**A/N: Thanks to all of you who are reading and reviewing, it's appreciated. I meant to post on Friday, but I haven't been home much this weekend. I did manage to finish Chapters 10 and 11 today, and I changed a couple of things in this chapter. Hopefully it's worth the wait **

**Up Next: Chloe has lunch with Ashlyn, we have more Chlollie tabloid fodder, and Chloe starts chasing leads on a dangerous story that has the potential to bring down some powerful people in Star City. Chloe has an unexpected run-in with Green Arrow, and we have the return of the JL boys! I'll get the next chapter up in a few days.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chloe walked into The Garden at 1:00 sharp, taking a moment to look around and absorb the ambiance. The restaurant was famous for both its five star dining and its private garden rooms featuring exotic plants and flowers. The main dining room had an open dining area in the center and a few private alcoves off to the sides. Strategically placed skylights allowed natural light into the room without making it awash in sunlight. The back wall had been constructed to look like a natural rock formation complete with water cascading down into a rounded koi pond that ran the length of the wall.

In short, it was the kind of restaurant that catered to Star City's elite and usually required reservations several weeks in advance. Chloe acknowledged that Ashlyn apparently had just as much pull in Star City as Oliver did, given that she had managed to get a table on such short notice. Chloe mentally calculated how much this lunch might set back her monthly budget and grimaced slightly; looked like she might be brown bagging for the rest of the week. _Thank God for Mrs. Chandler_, she thought as she approached the hostess desk.

The hostess looked up at Chloe, and a flash of recognition crossed her features. "May I help you?"

Chloe smiled. "I'm meeting Ashlyn Sinclair. I believe she has a reservation for 1:00?"

The hostess tried to mask her surprise, but failed rather miserably. "You're meeting Ms. Sinclair?" When Chloe raised her brows expectantly, she seemed to recover her composure. "Of course, if you'll follow me. Ms. Sinclair arrived a few minutes ago."

She led Chloe through the rather crowded main dining room, and Chloe noted that several conversations ceased as she walked past. She spotted Ashlyn seated at a table placed prominently near the koi pond. Ashlyn spotted Chloe immediately and stood as she approached, looking casually elegant in a black linen dress that followed the lines of her tall body perfectly, ending just at the knee. The sleeveless design set off her perfectly toned arms and the simple, platinum earrings and cuff bracelet she wore were the perfect accent pieces.

Chloe was suddenly very glad that she had dressed with extra care this morning. Knowing that the tabloid articles would mean many more eyes on her than usual, she had chosen a muted green and gold, capped-sleeve blouse with a modest v-neck paired with a vintage brown pencil skirt. Three-inch Jimmy Choos gave her extra height, and while she might need to update her casual wardrobe, the extra money she'd earned by helping Oliver had definitely been put to good use when updating her work attire.

"Chloe, I'm so glad that you could make it." Ashlyn stepped forward and hugged Chloe, who stiffened slightly before returning the embrace rather tentatively. Ashlyn stepped back and motioned for Chloe to take the chair opposite her own. As the hostess left, Ashlyn leaned forward, speaking in a low voice. "Sorry if that was awkward, but I wanted to make it clear to everyone watching that this is a friendly meeting."

Chloe eyed the other woman curiously as she picked up her menu. "Not to sound ungrateful, but did Oliver put you up to this? I know he's got his PR people on damage control today."

"No, this was my idea. Oliver has no idea that I asked you to lunch today. It's something that I would have done anyway because I would like to get to know you better, but the tabloid articles spurred me to act sooner. Would you like wine with lunch?" Ashlyn tapped a perfectly manicured nail against the side of her menu as she perused the menu items.

Chloe grimaced. "Thanks, but after last night I think I'll stick with mineral water."

Ashlyn laughed lightly as she pushed her long, dark hair off her shoulder. "So last night is a bit out of the norm for you, I take it?"

Chloe raised her brows in amusement. "You mean I don't look like the kind of girl who often goes clubbing and ends up going home with a billionaire amid rumors of wild threesomes?" Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "The only thing I was known for in Metropolis and Smallville was being a workaholic, which is why my friend Lanie has adopted a 'fun' rule. Essentially it involves dragging me out at least once a week for some form of social entertainment."

Ashlyn's lips quirked as she said, "I think last night's entertainment might be hard to top."

"Yeah, I've decided that last night's entertainment more than fulfills my fun quota for a while. I'm sticking to movie and pizza nights for the rest of the month." Chloe motioned to the menu. "What do you suggest? I've never been here before, and some of these menu items are unfamiliar."

"The owner is from Bulgaria, so many of the entrees are prepared in a Bulgarian style. The stuffed eggplant and stuffed tomatoes are both delicious appetizers. As for the entrees, my favorites are the grilled salmon, pork medallions, or the spinach and ricotta stuffed chicken."

Chloe looked over the menu for a moment before deciding on the stuffed tomato appetizer and the spinach and ricotta stuffed chicken. Ashlyn chose the grilled salmon with steamed vegetables and again signaled the waiter to place their orders.

Chloe took a sip of her mineral water. "So again, not to sound ungrateful, but the tabloid article viciousness was mostly aimed at me, not at you. If Oliver didn't ask you to play nice with me for the cameras today, then why bother with the public invitation at the _Gazette_ and the very public lunch friendliness?"

Ashlyn tilted her head slightly as she regarded the younger woman. "You're very direct aren't you? I can see why Oliver likes that about you." She smirked as Chloe's cheeks warmed slightly at the mention of Oliver's name. "To answer your question, I don't like being used by the tabloids to sell papers. The media is a necessary tool for my business, and one that I've learned to use when and where it's appropriate, but I don't intend to allow them to run rampant with their ridiculous theories. I also don't want your career to suffer as a result of these stories. You don't deserve that, and anything that hurts you would upset Oliver as well."

Chloe considered this as the waiter returned to serve their appetizer. She took a piece of the stuffed tomato and transferred it to her plate. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but there's nothing going on between Oliver and me. We're just friends."

"There's also nothing going on between Oliver and _me_, so I guess the tabloids are wrong on all counts. Unless Lanie's holding out on you?" When Chloe laughed, Ashlyn joined in. "I do admit that I had some reservations when Oliver told me that you're a reporter."

"Reporters have a tendency to be both nosy and tenacious, so I suppose I can understand that. Was there any particular reason?" Chloe moved her appetizer plate aside as the waiter appeared to serve their lunch entrees.

Ashlyn waited until they were alone before continuing. "Men like Oliver have secrets, and he trusts you so completely that it worried me."

Although she gave no outward appearance of it, Chloe's heart rate sped up a bit at the other woman's words. She carefully cut into her chicken as she affected an air of amusement, aware of Ashlyn's watchful gaze. "Well, Oliver's business secrets are safe. One thing I'm sure of is that Oliver's business practices are all aboveboard, and the only stories I'm interested in are the ones involving illegal actions."

"But a man's business secrets aren't the only thing that can make him vulnerable," Ashlyn murmured.

Chloe paused before looking up to meet Ashlyn's eyes directly. "I'm aware that Oliver trusts me, and there have been times when I've found it necessary to place just as much faith in him. So _you_ can trust me when I say that I would never betray any of Oliver's secrets, business or otherwise."

"Please don't take offense – you're young and ambitious, so of course I had concerns. But Oliver is not a stupid man, despite how he's portrayed occasionally by the media, nor is he one that gives his trust easily. I know that if he believes you're trustworthy, then he has good reasons for it. If he trusts you, so do I."

Chloe smiled as she replied, "I'm not offended; frankly, I'm not a very trusting person myself, so I can understand your concern."

Ashlyn turned her attention toward one of the private luncheon rooms. A group of businessmen were leaving, and their path to the restaurant entrance would take them right past Chloe and Ashlyn's table. "Right on schedule."

Chloe looked up. "Sorry?"

Ashlyn looked at Chloe and smiled. "You and I have cleared the air, and despite all of this tabloid craziness at the moment, I think you'll be good for Oliver. Being seen having lunch together today should dispel some of the rumors, and now Oliver is here right on schedule."

"What?" Chloe's head whipped around. Sure enough, Oliver was walking toward their table with a group of businessmen, clearly having just concluded a business lunch. She turned back to Ashlyn with a raised brow. "I thought you said Oliver didn't put you up to this?"

"Oh, Oliver had no idea we would be here," Ashlyn responded with a smirk. "But I knew he had some investors coming into town today, and I got the location of his business luncheon from his secretary. Just in case his business associates believed any part of the tabloid rumors, I thought it might not hurt for them to see us together as well."

Chloe was surprised by how carefully Ashlyn had planned all of this; suddenly, she had no problem seeing the former model as the shrewd businesswoman she now was. She and Ashlyn stood as Oliver approached their table, a look of surprise on his face.

"I wasn't expecting to see the two of you here," Oliver said curiously. He turned to his business associates. "Gentlemen, I believe you met Ashlyn last year at the QI fundraiser gala. Ashlyn, you remember Peter Sadurska, one of our European investors?" He gestured to a tall, dark haired man beside him, whom Chloe judged to be in his late thirties.

Ashlyn extended her hand. "Yes, of course; lovely to see you again, Mr. Sadurska."

Peter took her hand and nodded. "And you as well, but please call me Peter." He turned his attention to Chloe. "And I believe you are Miss Sullivan?" A pleasant accent betrayed his European heritage, although his English was perfect.

Chloe tried not to grimace at the realization that he recognized her, knowing there was only one reason he would know who she was. Her eyes shifted to Oliver, and she saw his mouth quirk up at her silent question.

"He's heard today's scandalous rumors, but I've assured him that the stories are completely without merit," Oliver remarked.

"And I believe that's true, given the two lovely ladies in question. You do not seem like the type of women to engage in a 'catfight' as one tabloid site reported," Peter observed with amusement. He turned to Oliver. "The joys of having money and living in the public eye, yes?"

Oliver laughed. "Something we've all had experience with, aside from Chloe. I'm afraid she's used to being on the other side of the byline."

"Although let's be clear – I don't report on tabloid drivel. I'd hang up my laptop first," Chloe commented wryly.

"Ah, yes, Oliver mentioned that you are a reporter for the _Gazette_ – on the city beat, I believe he said?" Peter asked. When Chloe nodded, he said, "I will have to look for your byline then. I often keep up with the news in Star City, given my interest in Queen Industries. Ashlyn, I hope I will see you at the QI gala in a few weeks? My wife was very happy to get an appointment with you for a gown to wear to this year's event."

Ashlyn nodded. "I will be there, and Chloe will be attending with Oliver this year, so you will see her again as well."

Chloe tried not to react to that surprising announcement as Peter turned a speculative glance in her direction. "My wife and I will be pleased to see both of you there, then. Oliver, I will allow you a moment with your friends?" At Oliver's nod, he walked toward the front of the restaurant.

Chloe raised her brows at Ashlyn as the three of them sat down at the table. "Why would you tell him that I'm going to be Oliver's date for the QI gala?"

"It's not a bad idea, Chloe," Oliver said. "I haven't asked anyone yet, and I was actually already thinking about asking you."

"You were?" Chloe asked skeptically. "Because I've never been your go-to girl for that kind of thing."

"And just because something has never been, doesn't mean it can't ever be," Oliver challenged her. "You're not afraid to face the red carpet with me, are you Sullivan?"

Chloe laughed. "Are you daring me?"

"Yes. And given the tabloid attention, seeing all of us there being friendly will quiet a lot of rumors." Oliver said in a coaxing tone, his smile guaranteed to melt resistance. "Besides, what will Peter think if he doesn't see you there?"

"Fine, I'll go," Chloe said, rolling her eyes slightly. She turned her attention to Ashlyn. "You planned all of this, didn't you? You knew Oliver would be here with Peter, and you knew he would probably mention the QI gala."

Ashlyn shrugged. "Like I said, I don't like being fuel for tabloid rumors. I doubt it will all disappear overnight, but I believe we've made a significant dent in it today."

Chloe raised a brow at Oliver. "Quite a good friend you have watching your back here."

"I'm lucky to have more than one good friend to watch my back," he murmured, his smile so full of charm that Chloe couldn't quite stop the blush that climbed her cheeks. She dropped her eyes to her plate, taking a bite of her now cooling chicken.

"I guess Chloe needs someone watching her back too," Ashlyn told Oliver. "I had no idea that city beat reporters routinely received threats to their personal safety until I saw the note that Chloe received when I stopped by the paper."

Oliver's smile faded as Chloe choked on her chicken. "What are you talking about?"

Chloe reached quickly for her water, taking a sip. "It's nothing, Oliver, probably just someone's idea of a prank." She looked pointedly at Ashlyn.

Ashlyn's brows rose doubtfully. "A prank? I specifically remember the words 'digging your own grave' and 'back off, bitch' which sounds like more than a prank to me."

Oliver turned his head to look at Chloe directly. "Chloe, that sounds like a death threat – you weren't even planning to tell anyone about it, were you?"

"Oliver, do you know how many threats I've received since I've been a reporter? I mean, it started in high school, and if I freaked out every time, I'd never get any sleep. Most of the time there's never any intent beyond scaring me off of a story."

"Most of the time," Oliver repeated, not looking even a little bit appeased by her explanation. "And the rest of the time?"

When Chloe didn't respond, Ashlyn cleared her throat. "Maybe you two should discuss this later. We don't want people to think we're arguing about anything."

"Right," Oliver said, standing. He leaned over to kiss Ashlyn's cheek before walking around the table to Chloe's chair. Sliding his arm around her shoulders, he brushed his lips across her cheek before whispering into her ear, "We're not done talking about this."

Chloe fought a shiver as his warm breath hit her ear and his fingers drifted across her shoulder briefly before he stood, waving casually as he walked to the front of the restaurant where his business associates were waiting for him. Chloe looked over at Ashlyn. "Is there any particular reason why you told Oliver about that note?"

Ashlyn shrugged. "I just thought someone should be aware of it besides me. I could see that you weren't taking it very seriously."

Chloe felt a tingle of suspicion. "If I receive threats that I believe to be credible, the standard procedure is to inform my editor. I'm not sure how you think Oliver can help."

"Oh, Oliver's a resourceful guy. Now that he's aware of a potential problem, I'm sure he'll think of something. And changing the subject, do you think you could find time to stop by my boutique this weekend?"

Chloe wasn't sure she bought Ashlyn's explanation, but she decided to drop it for the moment. "I'm sure I could find time. Do you need help with something?"

"Actually, I'd like to do a fitting for you. I'd love for you to wear something from my design label for the gala, if you're interested," Ashlyn replied. When Chloe hesitated, she added, "If you're worried about the cost, don't – I'm offering, so this is on me."

"Ashlyn, I appreciate the thought, but you really don't have to do that," Chloe said firmly.

"Do I look like the kind of woman who does things because she feels obligated? You will be Oliver Queen's escort for the evening, so there will be a lot of photos of you in magazines and on fashion sites. If you're wearing one of my designs, that's good publicity for me. And I'm afraid it's the designer in me, but I've been imagining you in a few of my gowns ever since you told Oliver you would go with him. Obviously there's no obligation – if you don't like the gowns I choose, you still have time to shop elsewhere."

"I'm sure liking them won't be the problem," Chloe said. "If you're sure it's not too much trouble, then I accept."

"Great!" Ashlyn smiled with satisfaction. They chatted amicably as they finished their lunch, and when Ashlyn asked for the bill, they were informed that Oliver had already taken care of it. Chloe rolled her eyes a bit at the high handed gesture, while the other woman did not seem surprised. They walked toward the entrance of the restaurant, with Ashlyn nodding at a few people she knew along the way.

Slipping on her sunglasses outside the restaurant, Ashlyn accepted the keys to her silver BMW from the valet. "Would you like me to drop you off at the _Gazette_?"

Chloe shook her head. "Thanks, but the weather is so nice here that I think I'd like to walk. And thanks for inviting me to lunch."

Ashlyn reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thanks for accepting. I'll see you on Saturday." She slid into the driver's seat of her car and drove off.

Chloe slid her own sunglasses on and enjoyed the sunshine on her walk back to work. No doubt about it, the California weather definitely agreed with her and put her in a much mellower mood than she was usually in on workdays in Metropolis. Tabloid stories and death threats aside, it hadn't been such a bad day.

She ignored the curious glances of her coworkers as she walked through the newsroom to find Lanie waiting for her at her desk.

Lanie eyed her curiously as she sat down. "I got your text earlier. So, how was it?"

"Surprisingly, much better than I thought," Chloe replied quietly. "Turns out she has no love for tabloid reporters either, so this was her doing her part to douse the rumors."

"It wasn't Oliver's idea?"

"No, not at all, although it turned out he was having lunch with an investor at the same restaurant. We saw him when they were leaving. And, it seems that I will be Oliver's arm candy to this year's QI gala in a few weeks, and Ashlyn has offered to dress me for the event."

"How did all of this come up at lunch?" Lanie laughed.

"You kind of had to be there," Chloe said. "Want to go with me to Ashlyn's boutique on Saturday?"

"Hell yes – I've heard that it's easier to get an invitation to the White House, so this is probably my only chance to see it."

Chloe pursed her lips as she eyed Lanie for a moment. "If I show you something, do you promise not to overreact?"

Lanie raised her brows and leaned forward as Chloe reached into her laptop bag and retrieved the note she had received earlier. She took the note from Chloe, reading it silently. "Well, someone needs spell check. Do you know what they're referring to?"

Chloe hesitated. "I have an idea, but if it's the story I'm thinking of, I don't even have anything solid yet. I was actually working on another story when I stumbled onto this one, so I'm still in the 'poking around' phase."

"It looks like your poking around caught someone's attention, then. Are you planning to take it to Harry?"

"Not yet. I need a little more before I tell him about it."

Lanie nodded. "You know I'd never try to scoop you… so, maybe you should let me tag along the next time you go digging."

"Lanie, I don't want to drag you into anything dangerous," Chloe said.

"Between the two of us, I'm sure we can manage to stay out of trouble. And if the situation is ever reversed, you'll owe me one. Besides, do you know how many times I've dragged Mike out to help me chase down a lead in a bad part of town?"

Chloe impulsively reached out and hugged Lanie, surprising both of them. "You know, you're a really good friend. Thanks for that; and it's possible I might need to take you up on your offer of snooping tonight. Are you up for it?"

"No problem, just tell me when and where. Time to get back to my story; oh, and in case you were wondering, Gwyn decided to work from home today. What a coward," Lanie said with disgust.

"I'm not really worried about Gwyn anymore, to be honest. Her story is going to look kind of ridiculous once photos of me with Ashlyn at lunch today come out. I'll bet she wasn't expecting that," Chloe smirked.

"Yeah, I don't think anybody was expecting that. See you later." Lanie headed across the room to her own desk, and Chloe settled in to get some work done on her own stories. First on her list was the pet charity project of a city councilwoman by the name of Helen Jenkins. A self-made and wealthy businesswoman, she had risen to popularity in Star City by being an advocate for the less fortunate, as well as for her participation in various charities both at home and abroad.

It was while doing a story on one of the charities that Chloe stumbled upon something odd. The charity in question provided both books and classroom technology for schoolchildren in countries affected by war and civil unrest. Chloe had gotten the usual press packet from the councilwoman's office, but had decided that talking to some of the people in the countries involved would lend a more personal touch to the article.

She had started with a school in Afghanistan reported to have received computers, software and books; and while it was true that they had received those things, Chloe found that the numbers reported by the charity were somewhat exaggerated. Without voicing any suspicions, Chloe had quietly contacted a few more schools in countries across Asia and Africa, only to find that none of the numbers matched up with any given school. When Chloe had attempted to contact the overseas director of the charity, a woman by the name of Samantha Sutton, she had been told the woman resigned two months before, and all of her attempts to locate Ms. Sutton had hit a dead end.

Chloe had then begun tracking how the books and equipment were shipped abroad. Her hacking had uncovered that all donations came through Star City. They were briefly stored in a warehouse owned by the charity before being shipped to a branch located in Japan, and by perusing various shipping logs, Chloe had managed to determine that the loads being reported at Star City Harbor were significantly heavier than what was being reported at the points of arrival. She was beginning to suspect that the councilwoman was using her charity as a front for some form of drugs or weapons trafficking, but currently had no proof to back it up. One thing she knew for certain was that if she planned to take on Helen Jenkins, she'd need an airtight story. The woman hadn't gotten where she was by being careless or by being a fool.

She had planned to head down to the docks tonight because another shipment of school supplies and equipment was being sent out on Friday. Chloe wanted to observe what went on while the ship was being loaded. She knew that the charity had a contract with the shipping company in question, so the ship should only be carrying books, computers and software. If a third party was adding to the shipment, she hoped she could observe proof of it and find another trail to follow.

She spent the afternoon piecing together her notes on the story and adding questions to her file of things to follow up on. It was 5:30 when she finally found a stopping point, and she was just about to see if Lanie wanted to grab dinner when a bunch of tulips appeared in front of her just as a pair of hands covered her eyes.

"Guess who, Chloelicious," said a teasing voice.

Chloe jerked around, laughing. "Bart! What are you doing here?" As she hugged him, she noticed a tall, blonde man grinning behind him. "And AC – I didn't know you guys were in town. Is Victor here too?"

AC stepped forward to give Chloe a hug. "Vic will be here tomorrow. How are you doing?"

"I'm great," Chloe said with a smile.

"Really? Cause we heard you were having some trouble – Bossman made it sound kind of dramatic," Bart said. "You look fine though – and I do mean fine." He wiggled his eyebrows a little, causing AC to roll his eyes at his theatrics.

"Oh God, please tell me that Oliver did not call you into town to babysit me?" Chloe crossed her arms and lifted her brows expectantly.

AC rubbed the back of his head. "I wouldn't use the term babysit," he hedged.

"Uh huh," Chloe said. "Bart? When exactly did you guys decide to come to Star City?"

"This afternoon," he replied easily, dodging AC's hand as he tried to slap the back of Bart's head. "What? Like I'm gonna lie to Chloe? Dude, she always knows when I'm lying, even over the coms." He turned back to Chloe. "Come on, admit it, you're glad to see us even if we are supposed to keep an eye on you."

"Fine I'm glad to see you – it's not your fault that Oliver is a crazy man." And crazy he was if he thought calling in the Justice League was going to stop her from investigating her story. "Come on, you guys should meet my friends." She could see Mike and Lanie watching them curiously from Lanie's desk. "Have you eaten dinner?"

"No, and I'm starving," Bart complained. "Got any good Mexican places around here? Or pizza… I could live with pizza. Or chicken even." He rubbed his stomach.

Lanie watched Chloe walk across the newsroom with two men, one of whom seemed to be a year or two younger than Chloe, while the other was probably a few years older.

"Seriously, are all of her friends from back home men?" Mike grumbled.

Lanie poked him with her elbow. "Be nice," she said with a laugh. "You don't hear me complaining." She ignored his snort of derision as the trio reached her desk.

"Hey guys, these are some friends of mine, Lanie and Mike." Chloe performed the introductions. "So, feel up to grabbing dinner with us? Lanie and I have some research to do later at my place, so we should go now."

"Research? I thought we were going to a movie tonight," Mike said.

"We were until I was volunteered to be Oliver's date to the QI gala in a few weeks," Chloe replied. "You're welcome to come back to my place with us, but the evening will now entail going through my closet and online shopping while we decide what I'm going to wear." Since Mike had no idea that her dress was taken care of, she figured this would be the best way to get rid of the guys later.

"Pass," Mike said with a sigh. "So, you're Oliver's date for the big night, huh?"

Chloe missed his wistful expression as they walked back over to her desk. She collected her jacket and laptop bag and turned off her computer as she answered him. "It's not a date, and if you say arm candy I'll smack you."

"Still, it's going to add to the tabloid fire," Mike pointed out.

Bart and AC glanced at each other. "Sounds like we've missed something," AC said curiously.

"Don't worry, I'll fill you in," Chloe said. She grabbed her phone and shot off a quick text to Oliver: _You and I are going to have a serious talk about boundaries later._

As they were walking out, her phone beeped.

Oliver: _There are no boundaries when it comes to team safety. You guys have fun while I'm stuck at this boring business dinner. Tell Bart and AC I'll call them later._

Clearly he felt no remorse about calling in reinforcements; Chloe felt a slight twinge, knowing that she planned to ditch the guys later so she and Lanie could follow her lead at the docks. She didn't expect any danger though, and even if someone who worked for Helen Jenkins had sent that note, they had no reason to suspect she knew much at this point.

Dinner was a lighthearted affair, with Bart eating an impressive amount of food and cracking silly jokes. AC told them about his recent work to rehabilitate injured dolphins in Florida. After dinner Mike headed home, and Lanie followed Chloe to her apartment. Chloe was sure she spotted Bart outside her apartment building, so she knew he was keeping an eye on her. She sighed as she and Lanie entered her apartment, wondering how she could get around Bart.

"I think we're going to have to wait about an hour, and then head down to the docks on foot or by taxi," Chloe told Lanie after she explained what she had found out about the charity.

"Why can't we drive my car?" Lanie asked. "We can park in the restaurant district and walk over to the shipping docks."

Chloe considered this. "The problem is that it's possible that Bart or AC will check on me later. If your car is gone, they might come up here and if I'm not here, they're going to come looking for me."

Lanie's eyebrows shot up. "Ok, care to explain what's going on? Who are these guys?"

"Just friends," Chloe reassured her. "But Oliver found out about the threat I received and he told them about it, so they've taken it upon themselves to look after me."

"Wow, and I thought my brothers were bad," Lanie joked. "We could call Mike and have him go with us…but then we'd have to explain why, and he's going to want to tell Harry if he thinks you're in danger." She thought about it for a minute before looking up at Chloe. "Mrs. Chandler has a car, doesn't she? Think she'd let us borrow it?"

Chloe's eyes lit up. "We could leave my lights on, and with both cars here they won't bother us if they check in later."

Two hours later, Chloe and Lanie were settled in on the roof of a warehouse overlooking the one housing the charitable contributions. Lanie kept a couple of changes of clothes in her car, and both women had changed into jeans, dark T-shirts and running shoes.

Lanie checked the activity through her binoculars again. "I don't really see anything too suspicious yet. I mean, they're loading a lot of boxes, but as far as we can tell, those boxes are full of books and computers."

"I'm sure something else is going on with these shipments," Chloe told her. "Maybe if I could get a look inside the boxes…"

"That's a little more dangerous than watching from up here," Lanie interrupted her. "What's our game plan if we get caught?"

"There's no we," Chloe said firmly. "You stay up here and keep watch while I go down there and poke around. If I get caught, you get help."

Lanie sighed. "Fine, but please be careful? I'd rather not catch hell from Mike, Oliver, and Oliver's reinforcements if you get yourself into trouble down there. Not to mention Harry." She shuddered slightly.

"Did I mention my friend Victor is supposed to be here tomorrow?" Chloe smirked at Lanie as she headed for the stairs. She had been watching the guards' routines and knew she had a few minutes to make it around the side of the building without being seen. From there, she could edge along the side of the building and wait until the workers took their break, which she had heard them say would be in about ten minutes.

Ten minutes later the dock workers who had been loading boxes took their break, and the guards headed around to the front of the building. Chloe knew from watching them that they would be gone for at least five minutes, so she took her chance and headed into the warehouse. Boxes were still lined up inside, and she hurried over to one set marked "Hardware." She quickly sliced open the top and found more boxes, which turned out to contain laptops. Using the tape she had brought with her, she quickly taped the box closed again and moved on to another group of boxes. Like the others, they were marked "Hardware" but they also had number combinations the other boxes didn't have. Following a hunch, she opened one of the boxes and found what she was looking for; the first box contained a laptop, but the one below contained metal parts that Chloe was sure were parts to be used in assembling firearms.

Using her pocket camera, she quickly took photos of the boxes containing the charity foundation's logo, as well as the contents inside the box. It wasn't enough to bring the councilwoman down, since Chloe had no way to prove that she was directly involved, but it should be enough to convince the police to come down here and stop the shipment from going out.

She taped up the box and moved back toward the entrance. Seeing no one, she darted out of the warehouse and began to edge around the building again.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing back here?" One of the dock workers had rounded the corner and was staring at Chloe in surprise, half of a sandwich in one hand.

Chloe tried to run around him, but he dropped his sandwich and grabbed her arm as he shouted for the guard. Chloe kicked him, and he grunted in surprise, releasing her. She ran as fast as she could around the side of the warehouse, praying that Lanie wouldn't panic and come down to help her. When she reached the back of the neighboring warehouse, she crouched behind a storage container and reached for her phone, texting Lanie to meet her back at the car. She peeked around the edge, noticing that several of the dock workers were now talking to the guards. No one seemed to be heading in her direction, so she backed up – and immediately hit something hard.

Strong arms came around her, and a leather gloved hand covered her mouth. Chloe stifled a scream and immediately began to struggle, kicking back against her captor, who grunted.

"Dammit, hold still," she heard a deep, distorted voice say. She stilled, relaxing as she realized it was Oliver behind her. When she stopped struggling, he pulled his hand away from her mouth and turned her to face him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Chloe stared at him in disbelief. "Do you think we could save the lecture for a place where armed guards aren't searching for me?"

"Chloe!" Lanie's head appeared over the top of the storage container. "Are you ok?" She began climbing down the side of the container, landing silently next to Chloe. She gestured toward the leather clad hero nervously and whispered, "He found me on the roof and I don't know how he knew exactly, but he knew I wasn't alone, so I told him what you were doing. He was coming to get you and then we heard the shouting… holy shit, Chloe, he's the freaking Green Arrow!"

"Breathe, Lanie," Chloe whispered back. She looked over at Oliver, who was watching the guards and workers around the side of the building. "How do we get out of here?"

Oliver looked back at her, his face hidden by the hood and dark glasses he wore. Chloe couldn't see much of his expression, but she could definitely tell by his tense posture that he wasn't happy with her at the moment. "Follow me," he said shortly. He made his way silently behind the groups of warehouses, pausing occasionally to make sure no one was coming. Chloe and Lanie followed just as quietly.

When they neared the restaurant district, Oliver paused behind a building. He pointed at Lanie. "You, stay here… and you," he gestured at Chloe, "come with me." He reached out and grabbed Chloe's hand, pulling her behind him. When they were far enough away from Lanie not to be overheard, he stopped and faced Chloe. "What the hell were you doing back there?"

"It's a story I'm working on," Chloe replied. "I think Councilwoman Jenkins is using one of her charitable foundations as a front for weapons trafficking. Some of the boxes in that warehouse contain gun parts, and they're all going to be shipped out tomorrow." She handed over her pocket camera. "I took photos – hopefully that's enough to get the police to look into it before the shipment goes out."

Oliver took the camera. "You knew that the threat you received today was probably related to this story. You lied to me." The voice distorter lent an impassive quality to his tone, but the thread of anger was still audible.

Chloe felt a surge of irritation. "No, I didn't lie to you. That note could have been referring to a couple of stories that I'm working on. I poke my nose into people's dirty laundry for a living, and it tends to make people angry sometimes. Do you know how many threatening notes I've received since moving to Star City? At least ten and nothing has come of any of them."

Oliver stepped closer, invading her personal space as he towered over her. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't, Chloe. What was your plan tonight? Those guards had guns – you put yourself in danger, and you dragged Lanie into it with you."

"In case you didn't notice, I got away all on my own. If you hadn't been there, I would have met Lanie back at the car and we would be on our way home now. I'm not a damsel in distress, Arrow – stop treating me like I don't what I'm doing." Chloe stared up at him, determined not to back down an inch.

The side of Oliver's mouth quirked up suddenly as he gazed down at her. "Damsel in distress, huh? Is that how you think I'm treating you?"

Chloe raised a brow. "Did you or did you not call in half the league to watch me because I got one threatening note? What do you think?"

"Maybe I overreacted," he acknowledged. "You could ask for help, though. You have a league of superheroes who'd all come running if you called."

"Including you?" she smirked at him.

He leaned in a little closer. "Every time."

Chloe's smile faded as he continued to stare down at her. She cleared her throat. "So, Lanie is probably still hyperventilating back there because the Green Arrow swooped in and saved the day before dragging me off for a lecture. She's going to wonder why you wanted to talk to me personally, alone."

Oliver held up her camera. "You can tell her we talked about this."

"And that required privacy? My guess is, she's putting two and two together and realizing that somehow we know each other. Unless you have a better idea, I think I should tell her that I ran into you once while investigating a story in Metropolis with Lois – that way, Lois can back me up if necessary."

Oliver dropped his gaze to her mouth. "You could tell her that – or you could just say I have a thing for damsels in distress." He didn't think about it as he raised his hand to her jaw and tilted her face up to his. He registered her surprise only briefly before he pressed his lips to hers. He had intended it to be a playful kiss, short, maybe even a little provocative. He thought he'd make a teasing comment, she'd fire back one of her snarky retorts, and a conversation that had begun in tension and anger would end on a lighter note as he left her with Lanie to finish patrolling.

Once his lips touched hers, however, all of his thoughts were suppressed by that moment – that single moment of lips touching, breaths mingling, his hand sliding back into her hair as she suddenly raised her hands to grip his arms. He deepened the kiss, one hand gripping her hip as the other slid from her hair to cradle the back of her neck. He pulled away reluctantly, wondering what had just happened as he took note of Chloe's dazed expression. They stared at each other for the space of a heartbeat before they both pulled away.

Neither spoke at first; Chloe was the first to break the silence. "I'm not sure that was helpful."

Oliver had been expecting more outrage, so her comment startled a laugh from him. "Maybe not, but it was … enjoyable." He held up the camera. "I should drop this off with the police, and you should go home. I'll call you tomorrow and tell you what happened."

"Ok – be careful out there." Chloe watched Oliver walk away before turning back to Lanie, who was still standing in the same place. She jogged over to her and said, "We should get going." When Lanie didn't move, Chloe asked, "What's wrong? Are you ok?"

"Am I ok?" Lanie asked. "Yeah, I'm gonna go with no… no, definitely not ok. Either I just hallucinated, or I just watched you making out with Green Arrow."

Chloe's cheeks flushed. "We were not making out."

"Really? Then what the hell was that because to me it looked like he totally planted one on you! Holy shit, you know the Green Arrow don't you? I cannot believe you've been sneaking around Star City making out with the Green Arrow." Lanie paused to take a deep breath. "Ok, feeling calmer but I think I need to sit down."

"Lanie, I can promise you that there has been no sneaking and definitely no making out with the Green Arrow. Lois and I ran into him once while checking into a story in Metropolis. He remembered me, but I have no idea why he just did… that," Chloe explained awkwardly. _Well, at least the last part is true_, she thought. She definitely had no idea what had possessed Oliver to kiss her, dressed as the Green Arrow, in front of Lanie no less.

Lanie stared at her. "Seriously?"

Chloe shrugged, affecting amused indifference. "Maybe he gets off on saving the girl. I mean, he is running around town in green tights – who knows what a guy like that is thinking?"

Lanie snorted with laughter. "If he gets off on saving the girl, I'm coming back tomorrow. Jesus, did you see his arms – wait, you touched his arms! What did they feel like?"

Chloe stared at her before she started to laugh. "Oh God, please tell me that you are not a closet Green Arrow fan girl?"

Lanie looked offended. "I'm not a fan girl!" She paused for a minute. "Ok, I'll admit that I have a Green Arrow novelty mug that the Tourism Center was selling right after the stories about him broke a couple of years ago. And the T-shirt – and I'm probably going to be fantasizing about him having his way with me on the roof for the rest of the week. Does that make me a fan girl?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Come on, Lanie. You can have your fan girl moment in the car." As she listened to her friend continue to ramble about their Green Arrow encounter, Chloe's mind drifted back to the moment when Oliver kissed her. What _had_ he been thinking?

**A/N: Well, there you have it, and I hope it was worth the wait. After I cleared out all the weird symbols, I noticed bits of text were missing here and there. I tried to fix everything like it was before, but this chapter is longer now because I got carried away during my "fixing" and added more lol. I tried to read through and check for mistakes thoroughly, especially after the problem I had with this document. I think I found all the errors, but if you notice anything strange let me know. I'm trying to get Chapter 11 cleaned up now.**

**Up Next: Chloe and Oliver both deal with the effects of the kiss, Chlollie becomes a tabloid staple, Chloe takes up Watchtower duties, and Batman finds out that it's a REALLY bad idea to get on Watchtower's bad side. Thanks again to all who are reading and reviewing! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Warning: Italics contain mild smut. If that's not your thing, feel free to skip the italicized portion, and you should still understand what's going on. **

Chapter 11

_Oliver felt like his entire body was burning as the woman ran her hands over his shoulders and down along his back. He moved forward, lifting her against the wall and pushing his hips insistently between her legs. He cupped her hips and rocked against her as his lips traveled down the side of her neck. Her moans of approval let him know he was on the right path and he pressed his lips to the delicate skin beneath her ear, grazing it lightly with his teeth before soothing it with his tongue. _

_He felt her press her lips to his neck as she returned the love bite with one of her own. He was so hard now he felt like he would burst at any moment, and when she tightened her legs around him and began her own rocking motion, he groaned and slid his hand down to cup her wet heat through the lacy panties she wore. He pulled back slightly to look at her; her green eyes met his before she pressed her lips to his again, her tongue sliding against his in a sensual dance. She slid her hands up to his neck and pulled her lips away from his, moving them to his jaw in a series of slow kisses._

"_God, Ollie, I want you…please," Chloe whispered, continuing her rocking motion against his hand. _

_He reached for the button of his jeans…_

The alarm beeping on his bedside table jolted Oliver awake. He lay still for a moment, gritting his teeth against the almost painful evidence of his arousal. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He reached out and slapped the button to silence the beeping before sitting up, allowing the sheet to pool around his waist.

Ok, so it wasn't the first time Chloe had featured in one of his erotic dreams. He recalled the time he had found a racy piece of lingerie in the Talon apartment; he held up the short, pink and black nightie and suggested that Lois wear it later. When Lois had smirked and teasingly informed him that if he wanted to see someone model it then he would have to ask Chloe, he'd dropped it back on the bed as quickly as possible. And despite all of his efforts not to think about Chloe wearing the satin and lace gown, he had more than one dream of her wearing exactly that for the next few weeks.

The problem as he saw it was that before he had no idea what it was like to have Chloe in his arms. His previous dreams were strictly based on fantasy, no more real than most men's fantasies of unattainable women. Now, he knew what her body felt like against his, what her lips tasted like; the knowledge was forever burned into his brain after kissing her two nights ago.

He wondered if Chloe was now plagued with similar lusty thoughts. She had definitely responded to his kiss, so at the very least she felt some of the same physical attraction he did. But although he had a healthy ego, he doubted she was lying awake at night thinking about it – not like he had for the past two nights. If it were any other woman, he'd turn on the charm, seduce her, and get it out of his system. With Chloe, that wasn't exactly an option.

He hadn't actually seen her since the night he found her and Lanie at the warehouse. He had spoken to her early on Friday morning to let her know that the SCPD had raided the warehouse and that Councilwoman Jenkins had been brought in for questioning. He knew that Chloe had been the first to break the story on the _Gazette's_ website, and she had spent most of Friday following the story for the Saturday edition.

It was now Saturday morning. Oliver glanced at the clock, noting the early hour and wondering what time Chloe would be up. He wanted to see her and make sure there wasn't going to be any weirdness between them after the kiss. He sighed and got up, stretching as he headed for the bathroom. First a shower, and then he'd pick up breakfast, coffee, and a copy of the _Gazette_ to take to Chloe's apartment. And if it was really good coffee, he figured Chloe would forgive him for almost anything.

* * *

Chloe rolled over and glanced at the clock sleepily. It was Saturday morning, and she had her first front page story in the _Gazette_ to look forward to in print today. After Oliver had turned in the photos to the police, she waited for the call about the inevitable raid. She got statements from the police on the raid, as well as a confirmation that Councilwoman Jenkins had been asked to come in for questioning on Friday morning.

When she had taken the story to Harry at noon, he practically danced for joy. It had been a slow news week, and he knew that Chloe had far more information than any other reporter would be able to get for at least a few days, which meant that the _Gazette_ would be the only source for details on the developing story. Mike and Lanie had taken her to lunch in order to celebrate, and she received congratulations from her co-workers throughout the afternoon.

The only black spot in her day had been more tabloid stories regarding her and Oliver. While it seemed that Oliver's PR team had been able to shut down some of the nastier gossip, most of the stories heavily implied that Oliver was sleeping with both her and Ashlyn simultaneously.

The gossip sites and the tabloids were now speculating on the relationship between her and Ashlyn as well. When photos appeared showing the two of them leaving The Garden together after what another guest was quoted as saying was a "very friendly lunch," the tone of the reports changed. They were now being dubbed 'frenemies' and Ashlyn was reported to be keeping Chloe close in order to monitor her developing friendship with Oliver.

Chloe had been too busy the previous day to do much more than roll her eyes over the ridiculous theories. She guessed that people were talking about it in the office, however, because more than one conversation had come to an abrupt halt throughout the day whenever she came within earshot. She just hoped that Oliver was correct and they would all eventually lose interest when nothing blew up between the three of them to keep the stories going.

She got up and headed for the bathroom, showering quickly. Emerging from the shower, she pulled on her bathrobe and sat down in front of the mirror in her bedroom and ran a comb through her towel-dried tresses. She put down the comb and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, but her cheeks held a healthy glow. She had developed a few more tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose since moving to Star City. Her green eyes were fringed with lashes ranging from blonde to a light brown shade, and her hair was longer now, brushing the tops of her shoulders. She was the typical American girl-next-door type – and Oliver Queen was attracted to her.

Chloe stared at the girl in the mirror like she was seeing her for the first time, wondering what Oliver saw when he looked at her. She remembered all the times that Lanie had insinuated that Oliver was attracted to her on some level, that his overt physical friendliness was proof of it. She always brushed it off because she just hadn't been able to envision a scenario in which Oliver _would_ be physically attracted to her. Men who went after women like Lois never looked twice at Chloe. She should know – she had years of proof to back this up.

But what she thought she knew was tossed out the proverbial window by one kiss – one very hot, very steamy kiss by a man she wouldn't have believed in a million years would ever kiss her. She brought her hand up and touched her lips gently as her mind drifted back to that kiss. What had he seen when he looked at her that night, and what had prompted him to cross the line from friend to something more complicated?

She had to admit that with one kiss, Oliver boosted her confidence in her own sex appeal. Between that and her breaking story, she'd felt pretty good about herself on Friday, and that feeling of confidence had caught the attention of a few of the male reporters in the bullpen. A crime reporter named Sam Langston had actually asked her to dinner while she was working late to complete her story the previous evening. Her gut reaction had been to say no, but she had reined in that impulse. Instead, she told him that she would call him if she was available this weekend.

She knew that her initial reluctance had something to do with Oliver kissing her. Her mind had jumped back to that moment more than a few times, and all of her senses would leap to attention as she recalled his hands on her hips, the hard muscles of his arms beneath her fingers, and his lips on hers, much softer than she would have expected. It had been, by far, the best kiss of her life.

Despite that, she knew it didn't change certain facts, such as Oliver was her cousin's ex and her sort-of boss. Even if she wanted to pursue it, those two things made it complicated. Then there was the fact that just because Oliver had kissed her didn't mean he wanted anything more. Knowing Oliver, it had merely been a spur-of-the-moment impulse which he'd acted on without fully thinking it through.

But he'd still kissed her, and Chloe knew it was a moment she wouldn't be forgetting any time soon. Knowing that someone who dated supermodels was attracted to her on any level at all made her feel more powerful and desirable; more like a woman and not just a small town girl. And if nothing else, she could harness her new found confidence and try to embrace the woman that was now emerging.

With this in mind, she stood up and crossed the room, picking up her phone from the bedside table. She hesitated briefly and then sent a text to Sam, letting him know that she had some free time on Sunday if he still wanted to meet. Feeling pleased with herself for taking charge, she picked up her hair dryer and began drying her hair, going for a tousled curl style that fell into place nicely now that her hair was longer.

She was standing in front of her closet wondering what exactly one should wear when visiting a fashion icon's place of business when she heard a knock on her door. Assuming it was Mrs. Chandler, Chloe didn't bother to change from her short robe as she answered the door, saying, "You really should get Neighbor of the Year… oh!" She stopped short when she saw Oliver standing in her doorway, hands full and a sheepish grin on his face.

"Not who you were expecting, I take it?" Oliver asked. He held up the containers he carried, revealing coffee and pastries from an upscale coffee shop and bakery in the city center. "I do, however, come bearing the best coffee Star City has to offer. Can I come in?"

Chloe's hand crept up to pull her robe closed a bit more tightly at the neck, trying not to blush as Oliver's eyes followed the movement. She cleared her throat. "Yeah, of course; what brings you to the less fortunate side of town so early on a Saturday?"

She watched Oliver walk across the room to her combination kitchen and dining room. He settled the bags on the small table before walking into her kitchen. "I figured you were too busy with your story to actually worry about things like buying coffee and food," he answered, pulling open cabinets and drawers until he found plates and silverware. "And, I brought a copy of the paper with me." He nodded toward the table.

Chloe tried to tone down her excitement as she walked quickly to the table and picked up the Saturday edition of the _Gazette_. And there it was, front and center – Chloe Sullivan's front page byline. She traced her name with her finger. She had really done it; she had taken a huge risk by leaving the _Daily Planet_, but Lois had been right when she said that great risk offered great rewards at times. If she had stayed in Metropolis, she would no doubt still be writing obituaries and any other demeaning stories Lex could think up.

"Your name looks good in print," Oliver said from behind her. He stepped to her side to place a cup of coffee in front of her and then returned to the counter for his own cup and the plate of pastries.

Chloe sat down, looking up as Oliver settled into the chair across from her. She eyed his cup curiously before glancing at her own. "This is the most amazing coffee in Star City and you're not drinking coffee?"

"Protein shake with wheatgrass," Oliver replied. "I would have brought you one, but I'm going to take a wild guess and say that wheatgrass is not your thing."

Chloe wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Wheatgrass? My body would probably go into shock, so I'll just stick to the processed goodness it's used to. As I'm sure you've no doubt observed by now, you really can't go wrong by bringing me coffee. And this coffee especially – Edgar's Bakery is a bit out of my price range on the average week day."

Oliver made a mental note of that, wondering if Chloe would object if he started having Edgar's deliver coffee to her at the _Gazette_ once a day. _Probably_, he thought. Just like she'd object if he tried to fix up this building she was living in. He'd never met a woman who wanted so little from him. Conversely, it made him all the more determined to find ways to do things for her.

He cleared his throat. "So, we should probably talk about what happened the other night."

And there it was – the gigantic elephant in the room that was making it difficult to look Oliver directly in the eye. _You're an adult, not a blushing schoolgirl_, she reprimanded herself. _Stop acting like you're sixteen and never been kissed_. Chloe forced herself to look directly at Oliver, and she affected a light tone as she replied, "You know, if every rescue ends with the hero kissing the girl, I'm surprised more women aren't just hanging out around the docks hoping to be attacked so they can scream for Green Arrow's help."

Once again Oliver found himself surprised by her reaction, and he couldn't help laughing. "Well, I have heard that there's a Green Arrow Fan Club in Star City."

Chloe smirked as she took a sip of her coffee. "Don't tell Lanie that. After watching Green Arrow lay one on me, she'd be bucking for president. You wouldn't believe the fangirling I had to listen to in the car afterward."

"Well it was quite a kiss," Oliver said with false modesty, leaning back in his chair and grinning at her.

"Hmm, it was," she agreed. "And I won't even try to pretend that I didn't enjoy it because I think we both know that I did. But if you brought me coffee as an apology, it's not necessary. There's no reason that things need to be awkward."

"Good to know. It's not the only reason I brought you coffee though. I was hoping I could convince you to play Watchtower tomorrow."

Chloe looked at Oliver with interest. "33.1?"

He shook his head. "A friend is having a little trouble in Gotham City, so I plan to fly out there tomorrow. I have some business with Wayne Industries on Monday anyway."

"This 'friend' wouldn't happen to resemble a giant bat, would he?"

"Maybe; but this friend doesn't like teams or playing by team rules. The only reason he even asked for my help is that he's been trying to crack a facility in Gotham for two weeks and he can't get in. He also knows that my team was able to crack that system in Germany, and he has, very grudgingly, I might add, admitted that he might need some help."

"So I take it that he will not be joining any League meetings?"

Oliver snorted. "That would be a no; all he wants from us is a diagnostic on the facility and your expertise in cracking their security. I figure if you and Vic team up online, you can probably break through the firewall and once you figure it out, you can give 'ole Batty a back door entrance."

"He just needs access to their records then and not to the actual facility?"

"Right now, just the computer system; he suspects that they're running an illegal drug lab and laundering money for a mob syndicate, but he doesn't really have any proof to back up his theory at the moment."

Chloe considered this. "I take it I'm also not supposed to know, or guess, who 'ole Batty might be, huh?"

"You figured me out, and I have no doubt that you could figure him out if you put that insanely smart brain of yours to the task, but I'm asking you not to. I'm hoping to convince him to join the League at some point, but right now he's still gun shy."

Chloe sighed. "You're taking all the fun out of this for me, just so you know. And not to bruise your ego, but you weren't too difficult to figure out. Speaking of which, I hope that you took my advice about your own secret identity."

"Clark will be taking the Arrow gear out for a spin in Metropolis tonight, while I will be very visible at a restaurant opening," Oliver confirmed. "AC will take my patrol in Star City tomorrow night, and there will be a sighting of Green Arrow in Prague next week courtesy of Bart. No one should connect Oliver Queen's movements with sightings of Green Arrow."

"Good. I'm honestly surprised that I'm the first person to figure you out. Although, I did wonder if maybe Ashlyn knew about your love of green leather?" Chloe raised a questioning brow at Oliver as she took a sip of her coffee.

Oliver shook his head. "It's not that I don't trust her, but Ashlyn's not like us. Our lives have all been affected, in one way or another, by some kind of tragedy. All of us have a reason for doing what we do, including you. Ashlyn's life is normal and I don't want to take that from her."

"I never thought about it like that, but you're right," Chloe said. "My foray into this world began with the Wall of Weird in high school – before that, even, if you count what happened to my mom. It's hard to bury your head in the sand and ignore it all once you've seen something like Lex's 33.1 labs."

"Speaking of your mom, have you been to see her? I usually check on her whenever I'm in town."

"Yeah, I have. I try to go every Sunday morning. They take such good care of her there, and I just want you to know how much I appreciate what you've done for her." Chloe swallowed hard against the sudden lump that appeared in her throat. "I don't think I realized how much I worried about her when I was in Metropolis, so it's nice to be close enough to see her as often as I want to."

"Good," Oliver said quietly. "I'm glad I have the means to do this for her and for you. Hopefully one day soon, her doctors will have a breakthrough in their research on her condition."

"I hope so," Chloe said softly. She looked up to find Oliver looking at her, his brown eyes warm, his entire countenance open and relaxed as he smiled at her, and she couldn't help smiling back at him. She felt an uncomfortable tug in her chest; she'd seen many sides of Oliver Queen in the past, but somehow she was certain that this was a side he rarely showed to people. It was the side that proved how much he really cared about people, and she felt lucky to be one of those he felt comfortable enough to be with himself.

A sudden beeping sound interrupted her thoughts, and she got up to retrieve her phone. Seeing the message from Sam, she looked up at Oliver. "So this help that you need tomorrow – I assume that it will be tomorrow night?"

"I'll fly into Gotham late tomorrow afternoon, so whenever you're available after that is fine," Oliver answered. He watched as she typed a reply to the message she had received before returning to the table. "If you have other plans, though, we could probably do it on Monday night after my meeting and dinner with Bruce Wayne."

"No, it's ok. I mean, I do have plans but I'll be home by early evening at the latest."

Oliver told himself not to ask, that it was none of his business. His resolve lasted for about a second. "Hot date?" It couldn't be too hot if she was planning to be home by early evening – that spelled late lunch date or afternoon coffee to him.

"Not really, just…a co-worker asked me to coffee," she replied, shrugging. "He's a crime reporter, so he probably also wants to pick my brain on this story."

Oliver bet the guy's interest ran deeper than that, but he let it go. "You need to watch yourself now that you've broken this story. Just because Councilwoman Jenkins is a suspect doesn't make her any less dangerous, especially if you're still poking around into her business."

"I'll be careful. And I actually want to apologize to you for what I said the other night." Chloe hesitated briefly before continuing. "While it's true that I'm no stranger to life-threatening situations, you were also right when you said that I have certain resources at my disposal. As a reporter, it only makes sense for me to take advantage of every resource. And if you or one of the other members of the team knowingly went into a situation blind or without backup, I'd be a little upset about it, so… I'm sorry if my ambition temporarily trumped my common sense."

"Wow, Chloe Sullivan telling me I was right about something. You're not an imposter from Clark's intergalactic alien prison, right?" Oliver poked her arm teasingly.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how much did Bart pout after Lanie and I gave him the slip the other night?"

"On a scale of one to ten? Afraid to say that scale doesn't cover it," Oliver joked. "But I'm sure if you combine your apology with an offering of food, he'll come around. AC said he wasn't surprised; you are Lois' cousin after all."

"Still, I lied to them, so I owe them an apology as well. Maybe I can adopt a dolphin in AC's honor?"

Oliver laughed. "Yeah, that would probably work."

Chloe leaned her chin on her hand. "Changing the subject, I'm visiting Ashlyn's boutique today for a fitting. Any suggestions?"

"Something in green?" Oliver offered hopefully.

"So not happening – any other suggestions?" Chloe teased him.

"You're in good hands with Ashlyn. Whatever she suggests will probably land you on every Best Dressed list."

Chloe sighed. "I'd prefer to be on no list, but if I have to be on one, Best Dressed beats Worst Dressed any day."

"And on the topic of media scrutiny, I did notice a little something interesting in today's gossip pages," Oliver said suddenly with a smirk.

"Please tell me that the photos are at least flattering?" Chloe said with a groan. "I swear the tabloids in this town are in a competition to see who can make me look more ridiculous…and short, I might add."

"You are short," Oliver remarked teasingly, pulling his arm away when she hit him playfully. "Turn to the 'Society' section."

Chloe paged through the Gazette until she reached the 'Society' spread. Her mouth fell open as she read the headline. "Chlollie vs. Ashlie? Are you kidding me?"

"Yep – one news site went with 'Chloliver' but I think 'Chlollie' has a better ring to it." When Chloe glared at him he said, "Oh come on, Chloe, I think we're going to have to develop a sense of humor about this, don't you?"

"I know you're right, but it's just so…crazy. I mean, the whole idea of me actively competing with a former model turned fashion designer for the attentions of a billionaire playboy sounds like the plot to one of those Harlequin novels Lois read when we were teenagers."

"You know, that whole 'billionaire playboy' label gets thrown around a little too much in my opinion. I am mostly reformed," Oliver pointed out.

"I think the operative word there is 'mostly'," Chloe commented dryly. She took the last sip of her coffee and glanced at the clock. "I'm meeting Lanie in an hour at Ashlyn's boutique, and then we're meeting Mike for lunch if you'd like to join us."

"Sounds like fun, but I'm headed to a meeting with my attorney," Oliver said as he stood. "I'll call you tomorrow after I arrive in Gotham. Can you do what you need to do from here?"

"Probably," Chloe confirmed. "Vic can work from your place and I'll head over there if necessary." She walked him to the door, trying not to notice the fit of his jeans; more specifically, she was trying not to notice how great his ass looked in said jeans.

"Ok then, I'll talk to you tomorrow." He flashed a grin before turning to walk down the hallway to the elevator.

Chloe watched him disappear into the elevator before closing the door. She hurried to finish getting ready, texting Lanie when she was leaving. With only light traffic on the roads, she made the drive to Star City's answer to Rodeo Drive in record time. She found Lanie waiting for her on the corner near Ashlyn's boutique.

"You know, just standing on the corner in this part of town is making my credit card nervous," Lanie said, linking her arm with Chloe's. "Still want to do some shopping this afternoon after lunch?"

"Yes, but in a more reasonably priced part of town." Chloe stopped in front of an elegantly understated boutique with the words _Ashlyn Sinclair_ in flowing, gilted script on the door.

Lanie opened the door, and they walked into a spacious lobby featuring marble floors and very interesting, and probably very expensive, paintings of high fashion models on runways. Their dresses were cunningly painted in flowing strokes to resemble exotic flowers in every conceivable color known to nature. The artwork added a splash of vivacity to the black and white lobby, and the white couches held throw pillows in shades that mimicked the paintings.

Sitting behind a desk that probably cost more than Chloe made in a year was a model thin woman who was probably more of an aspiring model/actress than an actual receptionist. "May I help you?" she asked, standing as they approached.

"I'm Chloe Sullivan. I have an appointment with Ashlyn for a fitting."

"Yes of course," she replied. She touched the Bluetooth she wore and spoke quietly. Moments later, Ashlyn appeared .

"Chloe, so glad you could make it; and Lanie, it's nice to see you again." She led them down a hallway and through a series off rooms. The rooms continued the black and white theme, although Chloe noted that each room contained one accent wall in a brighter color, and more of the fashion model paintings were sprinkled throughout the boutique, with a few black and white paintings interspersed.

"These paintings are amazing," Chloe observed as they stopped in one room that contained a rack of dresses near a white sofa. A polished black table contained a book of sketches and another of fabric swatches. A third book appeared to contain photos of models wearing Ashlyn's designs.

"I had the entire series commissioned from an artist I met when I was working in Paris," Ashlyn replied. "She does the most amazing things with color, and her paintings of flowers inspired some of my original designs."

"I can see why." Chloe and Lanie sat on the sofa while Ashlyn occupied a nearby chair.

"Would you like something to drink?" Ashlyn offered.

Chloe and Lanie both requested sparkling water, which arrived promptly. Ashlyn motioned toward the rack of dresses. "I took the liberty of pulling several dresses that I would like to try on you. If you don't see anything you like, I also have a photo book that we can look through, as well as some sketches. I've only accepted a few orders for the gala, so we do have time to have a new gown sewn."

Frankly, Chloe found the books a bit intimidating, so she stood and walked over to the rack containing the dresses. They were all beautiful, and definitely more expensive than anything Chloe had ever imagined wearing. "If you handpicked these, I'm sure there's something here that will work for me."

Ashlyn smiled as she joined Chloe. "I appreciate the vote of confidence. Why don't you start trying these on then?" She led Chloe into an adjoining room with floor to ceiling mirrors and a raised dais in front of them. The lighting in the room was warm and flattering, lessening the startling effect of all the mirrors. An attendant appeared as they entered. She showed Chloe to a room that was separated from the main fitting room by a sliding door.

Chloe tried on all of the dresses one by one, each time coming out of the room to stand on the dais in front of the mirrors. She felt like a princess in every single dress, but one in particular called out to her. When she tried it on for the second time, she knew it was the one she wanted.

"Wow," Lanie said as Chloe stepped onto the dais. "That dress seriously looks like it was made for you."

Chloe stared at her image in awe, fingers touching the silky material reverently. She glanced at Ashlyn, who smiled at her.

"I had a feeling about that dress, and after seeing you in it I honestly can't picture anyone else wearing it," she commented, stepping forward to adjust the back of the dress.

Chloe bit her lip. She didn't even want to imagine what a dress like this would normally cost. She looked over at Ashlyn again as she asked, "And you're sure you want me to wear one of your designs?"

"Absolutely positive," Ashlyn stated firmly. "I think we've found your dress, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think we have," Chloe said with a laugh.

"Excellent – now, if you don't mind, Lanie, I'd like for you to try this one."

Lanie looked startled. "Me?"

Ashlyn motioned Lanie toward the dressing room. "Yes – after all, someone will have to write up the charitable side of the gala for the _Gazette,_ aside from the usual society reporter covering who's wearing what. I'm sure that you can arrange to be that reporter and if not then I'm sure Oliver would have no problem requesting you specifically."

Lanie still looked a little stunned, but allowed Ashlyn to usher her into the dressing room. When she emerged, she and Chloe stood side by side on the dais.

Ashlyn nodded with satisfaction. "Perfect."

"Besides feeling a little like Cinderella at the moment, all I can think is that Gwyn is absolutely going to burst something when she realizes that I'm wearing an Ashlyn design to the QI gala." Lanie turned to the side, admiring the dress from all angles.

Chloe laughed and shook her head. Turning back to Ashlyn, she said, "Thank you for this. You've managed to eliminate the stress from our shopping day today."

"My pleasure," Ashlyn replied as both women stepped down from the dais. "What else are you shopping for?"

"I think my casual and evening out clothes could stand a little updating," Chloe said as she waited for Lanie to change clothes.

"I see. I can think of a few good stores that should fit your budget, as well as one consignment boutique that regularly gets never worn, trendier items. And the prices are quite reasonable as they cater to young professionals. A friend of mine owns the store, so I'd be more than happy to call ahead for you."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that." Chloe took one final look at herself in the mirror before going into the dressing room to change. When she emerged, Lanie was typing a message on her phone.

"Mike's waiting up front," Lanie said as she stood up.

The three women walked back through the elegant rooms to the lobby, where Mike stood waiting for them. He was looking around uncomfortably, hands shoved in his pockets. He looked relieved to see them.

"Ashlyn, this is our friend, Mike. Mike, meet Ashlyn Sinclair." Chloe performed the introductions and Ashlyn stepped forward, offering her hand to Mike.

"Bennett," Mike said a little nervously. "I mean Mike…Mike Bennett."

Ashlyn smiled at him. "I remember you from the Galaxy Club, actually. I believe you left before we finished dinner though."

"Right," Mike said, clearing his throat. "This is uh… quite a place you have here."

"Thank you. You're a sports writer for the _Gazette_, right? I read your article on the conference last week. You write very well on all sports, but if I had to guess I'd say your real passion is for basketball."

Mike looked surprised. "Yeah, actually it is. I played in college, and I was thinking of going pro but I had an injury during my senior year that sort of canned that idea."

"My father holds season tickets to Lakers games, as well as the Star City Lions. Due to his travels he can't always go with me and I hate attending alone. I'd love for you to join me some time. It's always fun to debate the finer points of the sport with someone who loves it as much as I do."

"Yeah, I mean…yeah." Mike looked a little stunned as Ashlyn pulled out a sleek smartphone to enter Mike's number before giving him her own number.

Stepping outside, Lanie smirked at Mike. "Well, well, well…I don't think I've ever seen you that tongue-tied around a woman before." She slipped on her sunglasses as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Did that really just happen?" Mike asked

"Yeah, I mean…yeah, Mike I think it did," Lanie teased him gleefully and Chloe couldn't help laughing as Mike glared at Lanie.

"Shut up…at least I'm not going to squeal about it for two hours like you did on the phone Thursday night, waking me up in the middle of the night to describe a certain superhero in agonizing detail," Mike lowered his voice at the last part.

When Chloe glanced at Lanie in surprise, she said, "Don't worry, I only told Mike. I know it's probably not a good idea to advertise a connection to a vigilante. But seriously, I had to tell someone. That's the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me, and I can't believe you're so calm about it."

"Maybe because Chloe has the good sense to realize you shouldn't have been there in the first place," Mike retorted as they crossed the street. "What the hell were you two thinking?"

"Hey, it was Chloe's plan, not mine," Lanie said defensively. "And you're a reporter too, so you know that a certain amount of investigating goes along with that."

"Seriously, next time you better give me a heads up. You can't just rely on some quack acting out his superhero fantasies to come to the rescue."

Chloe glanced at Mike curiously. "You think Green Arrow is a quack?" She wondered what he would think if he knew that Green Arrow was none other than Oliver Queen.

Mike shrugged. "I don't know – I mean, yeah, he's done a lot of good things, but he's also rumored to have stolen quite a few things in the past. And let's not forget that he's dressing up in green leather and zipping between buildings on some kind of wire, carrying a crossbow. No offense to the modern day Robin Hood, but I'd rather you and Lanie not place all of your safety eggs in his basket."

Chloe nodded. "Fair enough; I actually got the same lecture from Oliver once the story broke, so from now on I solemnly swear to have appropriate backup when chasing down potentially dangerous leads."

After lunch, Mike left Chloe and Lanie to their shopping spree with a plan to meet later for a movie night. Their first stop was the consignment boutique that Ashlyn had told them about. Ashlyn had already called her friend, a stylish woman in her early thirties named Katia. She led them through her shop, pointing out some new arrivals, and both women quickly found a few signature pieces to add to their wardrobes.

They made stops at several more stores, some that Ashlyn had told them about and some that Lanie was already familiar with. Several hours later, both girls lugged their brimming shopping bags into Chloe's apartment, pleased with the results of their shopping expedition. When Mike arrived, they sat around Chloe's small table eating the pizza they ordered while arguing over the first movie to be watched.

Chloe smiled, shaking her head as she watched Lanie quietly slip Mike's chosen movie under the couch while he was checking sports scores on his phone. Spending time with them never failed to brighten her day, but it also made her miss Clark and Lois at times. She resolved to give her cousin a call the next day. Hopefully Lois would be visiting soon – and maybe it was time for her to talk to Clark again as well.

* * *

Bruce Wayne eyed Oliver as they sat in front of his main computer control center. "So you're not going to tell me who this computer wizard is on your team?"

"Hey, you join my team and I'll be happy to perform the introductions for _every_ member of my team, Watchtower included," Oliver replied. "But you can't ask Watchtower to reveal their identity when you won't reveal yours."

"And this guy really cracked the German facility single-handedly."

"Well, that job was a joint effort," Oliver clarified. "Two of my members have computer expertise, although only Cyborg is field trained. Since you just need access to the records, I've asked Watchtower to hack their system and create a backdoor for you."

Bruce glanced at his watch. "Is Watchtower always this punctual?"

Oliver glanced at his own watch, wondering if Chloe's date had run longer than expected. Just when he was thinking of texting her, his phone rang. "We were just talking about you," he said in lieu of a greeting. "How was coffee?"

"Coffee was coffee, and an early dinner," Chloe responded. "I'll be home in about ten minutes, and then I'll plug into the coms. Is Vic on standby?"

"And ready to plug in if you need him," he confirmed. "Talk to you in ten." He smiled a little as he disconnected the call.

Bruce regarded Oliver with interest. "So Watchtower is a woman."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your voice changed when you were talking to her, so either Watchtower is a woman or you've started pinch hitting for the other team." Bruce smirked at him as he turned back to his monitor.

Oliver pointedly ignored Bruce until his com beeped and Chloe's voice came through with "Watchtower, online. What's your status, Arrow?"

Following Chloe's very specific team protocols, Oliver switched on his voice distorter before speaking, though it felt strange to turn it on while wearing jeans and a hoodie. "Currently sitting in the bat cave with a grumpy-ass bat; you get the diagnostics I sent you?"

"Got them and I'm logging in through the satellite now," Chloe confirmed. "You boys not playing nice?"

Oliver snorted. "Define 'nice' – how long do you think this will take?"

Chloe glanced over the information that was coming up on her screen before beginning to type. "Interesting security setup they have here – they've layered their firewalls. I can see why he was having trouble."

"But it's breakable?"

"Have I ever failed you?" Chloe countered. "First one is already down, but that was the easy one. I think they have a trigger set up, so I'm going to wiggle around that before I start on the next firewall. I'd say if I can't get through in the next hour, we'll call Vic to help out. The key is making sure they don't notice I'm here – that way, they don't know to look for any holes later."

"Copy that. Let me know when you've got it – Arrow out." Oliver turned off the distorter and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, you asked her about coffee – did your Watchtower have a coffee date?" Bruce shook his head. "You must be losing your touch with the women."

Oliver glared at the back of Bruce's head. "You know what, I'm not talking to you about Watchtower. And let's not forget we're doing you a favor."

"So is Watchtower hot? I'm betting she is or you wouldn't be lusting from afar. She must be smart, given her hacking skills. Maybe too smart for Oliver Queen's tried and true seduction methods?" Bruce didn't even try to hide his pleasure in needling Oliver.

Oliver gritted his teeth; sometimes he forgot how annoying Bruce could be. "Nice try, Batty, but you can't con me into giving up information on my team members. You want to know more about Watchtower, come to a League meeting."

The next fifty minutes passed agonizingly slowly for Oliver, and he was relieved when he heard Chloe's voice on the coms. "Watchtower to Arrow; tell our dark knight I'm sending him the back door directions now."

Oliver flipped on his voice distorter. "Nothing suspicious on their end?"

"Negative – I'm just hanging out until your friend joins me here so I can give him the tour."

Oliver glanced over at Bruce. "Got the directions?"

"They're coming through now," Bruce acknowledged as he worked at his console.

Suddenly he heard Chloe say, "Watchtower to Arrow, we have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Someone's onto me," he heard Chloe say.

"Onto you how?" Oliver asked.

"Wait…" he heard, then, "Dammit, I think they're tracking me. Watchtower out."

"Watchtower!" Oliver waited but when he got no response, he swore and dialed Bart. "Impulse, I need you to get to Watchtower now. No, don't ask questions, just do it!"

"What's going on?" Bruce asked, turning to Oliver.

"I don't know – Watchtower said she thought someone was tracking her, and then she signed off." He tore the com out of his ear in disgust and started pacing, glancing at his phone every few seconds.

"Well, the backdoor is working and I don't see anyone here… what the hell?" Bruce sat back in his chair as his monitor suddenly began flashing. He typed frantically as Oliver moved to stand beside him.

"What the hell did you drag us into?" Oliver muttered, running his hand through his hair. "Are they tracking you now?"

"Hell if I know - my whole system is locked up."

Oliver's phone rang, and relief coursed through his body as he saw Chloe's number on his screen. "Thank god…"

He was interrupted by Chloe's irate voice shouting, "You tell that ungrateful bat-brained wonder that if he ever tries to follow my trail home again, I'll do more than lock up his computer system. I will jack up his system so badly that he won't even recognize the parts that remain. And you can tell him that his little stealth program has a bug."

Oliver whipped around to look at Bruce. "You were the one tailing her? Why the hell would you do that?"

"What the fuck did she do to my database?" Bruce stared at the gibberish running across his screen. "I was using a new stealth program; how the hell did she even know I was there, and how did she double back on me?"

The humor of the situation finally struck Oliver as he took in Bruce's disgruntled disbelief. His lips twitched as he said, "She said to tell you that your stealth program has a bug." When Bruce glared at him, Oliver snorted with laughter as he told Chloe, "Remind me to give you a bonus when I get back."

He heard Chloe heave an irritated sigh. "Tell _Bruce_ that I'll put his system back online, and I'll leave his backdoor open." With that, she disconnected the call.

Oliver sat next to Bruce, leaning back and lacing his fingers behind his head. "Afraid your secret identity has been busted, my friend."

Bruce eyed Oliver balefully. "What do you mean busted? Are you saying she knows who I am?"

"Yep – she did say she'd put your system back online, and she's leaving the backdoor open for you. She also called you an ungrateful, bat-brained wonder, and she said that if you ever try to follow her trail again, she'll fry your whole setup." Oliver grinned as he recounted this. His day was definitely looking up.

"Who the hell is this woman, some kind of techno-terrorist?"

"Definitely one of the good guys – I'd say lucky for you. Let me know if you change your mind about that League meeting."

**Author Note: So, as you may have guessed by the opening to this chapter, this story will probably contain a little smut in the future. It's not something I'm totally comfortable writing, so I'm practicing a bit. Feel free to share your thoughts on this. Also sorry for the posting delay – apparently I'm incapable of editing myself without adding an extra 2,000 – 3,000 words. *sigh* Also, thanks to NovemberVisionary who looked over some parts I was unsure of.**

**What I added here was mostly to the conversation between Chloe and Oliver in her apartment, so hopefully it was worth the extra time. As always, all constructive feedback is welcome. I answer all reviews, so feel free to ask questions. Thanks to all who are reading! Also, if you're curious about the dresses that Chloe and Lanie will wear to the gala, I do plan to provide those details later.**

**Up Next: Chloe and Oliver grow closer as the QI gala approaches. Meanwhile, some disturbing information comes to light. Bruce is in town for the QI gala, and Chloe continues digging into her story on Councilwoman Jenkins, uncovering an even more powerful foe. I'll do my best to get it up soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chloe leaned against the counter as she watched Oliver moving around her small kitchen. "Should I be worried that you're about to attempt cooking here?" They had spent a large part of the day at a local outdoor market picking up fresh vegetables and fish. It wasn't the first time Oliver had taken her to the market, but it was the first time they had brought home food to prepare for themselves.

Oliver snorted. "If your kitchen has survived the Sullivan-Lane cooking genes, I think we're safe. Besides, I actually do know how to cook. I've managed to pick up a few things while traveling."

"You know, just because Lois is domestically challenged doesn't make it a Sullivan-Lane trait," Chloe retorted. "I'm no gourmet, but I learned enough from Mrs. Kent over the years to keep my dad, Lois and me from starving when we got tired of takeout."

Oliver raised a dubious brow as he continued to unpack various bags that he had brought with him. "I'll take your word for it. So are those photographers still outside?"

Chloe walked over to the window and peeked out the blinds, looking for the two men who had followed them from the Farmer's market back to her apartment. "They're still hanging around across the street. But, at least they can't get into the building anymore, what with the new security doors at all the entrances."

A few weeks before, one overzealous member of the tabloid press had followed her all the way up the stairs to her apartment, forcing Chloe to use her Taser when he wouldn't back off. Since the police had been called and that had also ended up in the news, she hadn't been able to keep it quiet. To say that Oliver and the rest of her friends, particularly Mrs. Chandler, had been upset was an understatement.

Oliver paused briefly as he cleared his throat. "You mentioned that you have a new building super too – how's he working out?"

Chloe turned away from the window and walked back to the kitchen. "Very well, actually, but it's not just a new super. The whole building is apparently under new management, a company called Waterston Properties. We got an addendum to our rental agreements notifying us of the changes to expect, and the new super walked around and spoke with each resident. He's already made a list of repairs needed, and better locks are being installed for each apartment."

"New management, huh?" Oliver knew all about the new management since Waterston Properties fell under the umbrella of Queen Industries. But he had no intention of enlightening Chloe since he felt certain she wouldn't appreciate his interference.

Chloe propped her chin on her hand, watching as he efficiently sliced some of the colorful peppers they had purchased that afternoon. "Yeah, lucky for me, huh?" She resisted the urge to roll her eyes in amusement.

When she had received the addendum to her rental agreement, the first thing she had done was look up everything there was to know about Waterston Properties. It had taken a little digging, but she was fully aware that it was part of Queen Industries and given Oliver's unhappiness with her building security, there was no way it was a simple coincidence.

Her first reaction had been irritation. She liked the feeling of independence she had gained after moving to Star City. And while she appreciated the sentiment behind Oliver's gesture, she didn't want him to think he could just swoop in and solve all her problems whenever he felt like it. She had been all set to march over to Oliver's and lay into him when Mrs. Chandler had stopped by her apartment with dinner one evening, full of news about the new building super, Mr. Martinez. Apparently he had been visiting each tenant, introducing himself and personally taking note of any concerns they had or repairs that were needed.

During their conversation, Chloe learned that Mrs. Chandler had worried more about living alone after her husband died. There were also a few single mothers living in the building, and Mrs. Chandler had informed her that everyone was relieved to have better security and a building manager who took his job seriously.

So Chloe waited and spoke to Mr. Martinez herself. She quickly realized that while Oliver might have decided to purchase the property because she was living there, the people he'd put in charge were committed to their new project. Mr. Martinez had also impressed her when he advised that he was prioritizing repairs based on units housing the elderly or children, as well as the seriousness of the repairs needed. Knowing that he was under no apparent orders to give her preferential treatment had gone a long way toward reducing her aggravation with a certain billionaire's hero complex.

Further research had shown that Waterston Properties was responsible for purchasing and renovating numerous buildings around the city, thus providing better living conditions for many of Star City's lower income families. Chloe found that she couldn't really be angry with Oliver's interference, not when it was benefiting so many other people besides her. On the other hand, they were really going to have to talk about the fact that he thought he could fly under her radar like this.

They continued to chat amicably, and it struck her that it no longer seemed odd that he was there in her space. In fact, over the last couple of months she and Oliver had been spending a lot more of their downtime together. It had started with lunch a few times a week, followed by the occasional dinner or drinks after work. Sometimes they went alone, and sometimes they were joined by their friends.

Then Oliver had started showing up at her place on weekends. They went for coffee, and they took walks in the park. They went to the bookstore together and played 'Who Can Find the Strangest Reading Material', a game she, Pete and Clark had found endlessly entertaining when they were younger. They had fun discussing their reading choices, and it helped them learn a little more about each other in the process. And slowly but surely, Chloe realized there was much more to Oliver Queen than even she had guessed.

They went to the beach one weekend with Bart, Victor, AC, Lanie, Mike, and Ashlyn. Mike seemed to have warmed up to Oliver in recent weeks, and the two men had spirited sports debates, with Lanie and Ashlyn joining the fray on occasion. Despite growing up in the Midwest where sports reigned supreme, Chloe had little interest in the topic. But she and Oliver debated every other topic under the sun. She had to admit that it was really nice to feel that her opinion was of value even when they didn't agree, which was often enough to keep things interesting.

She was also logging more Watchtower hours as she helped the team track potential 33.1 locations. The last site they'd hit had provided a wealth of information stored on servers, and she and Victor had been going through the multitudes of files for weeks. It was all encrypted, but Chloe was sure that they had discovered a database containing names and information on the meteor infected people who had spent time in Lex's labs. Information like that could prove invaluable in taking Lex down, and she was determined to help Oliver serve the justice that Lex deserved.

In short, Oliver had become more than her cousin's ex or her part-time boss. He'd become her friend, one that she enjoyed spending her free time with. There was also no denying that she felt an overwhelming attraction to him. No surprise there - she'd known that since he'd first flashed his dazzling smile in Clark's barn. And that, of course, led to problems of a different and more personal kind because she was beginning to think that maybe she wanted more from Oliver than just his friendship. She just had no idea what to do about it.

"Here, you're responsible for the salad," Oliver said as he gestured toward some of the vegetables, a knife and her newly purchased cutting board.

Chloe washed her hands at the sink and turned to find Oliver right there, holding a towel out for her. Their hands brushed as he passed her the towel, and it sent an electrifying tingle straight down to her toes. "Thanks," she murmured, feeling her breath catch a little at his answering grin.

She dried her hands and set about preparing the salad in a large bowl, trying not to stare at Oliver as he rubbed the salmon fillets with lemon and placed them in a pan with some of the peppers before drizzling them with olive oil. She wondered what it was about his hands that led her mind down a path best not traveled. His hands, and his arms – she blamed Lanie for going on and on about Green Arrow's muscular physique. It wasn't as if she hadn't noticed before, but now she seemed to notice _all the time_. And it was distracting – very, _very_ distracting.

The real kicker was that Oliver was physically aware of her too, something she wouldn't have believed a couple of months ago. Under Lanie's influence, she had bought a little red bikini for their trip to the beach. Lanie had assured her that she looked hot, and the blatant male interest in Oliver's eyes all day had backed that up in spades. Though neither of them was pushing to move out of the friend zone at the moment, Chloe knew that was likely to change. One thing she _was_ certain of was that Oliver enjoyed spending time with her. He felt something for her, and it was a total revelation after years of unrequited pining for Clark. And as much as she cared about Clark and Jimmy, she somehow sensed that what she could potentially feel for Oliver would eclipse those schoolgirl feelings. The idea was equal parts exhilarating and scary.

And just how far did Oliver's feelings go? _The billion dollar question_, Chloe mused wryly as she placed the salad in the refrigerator. She turned and leaned against the counter, watching as Oliver bent to retrieve another pan from under her stove. His T-shirt rode up, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the tantalizing glimpse of skin revealed. Her gaze followed the line of his back to his arms, and his hands… freaking Lanie. _Down, girl._

"Want me to mix up the salad dressing?" Chloe asked, knowing that Oliver liked the homemade version they had learned how to make on one of their trips to the downtown market. At his nod, she began mixing the olive oil and Dijon mustard with various spices, shaking the little glass bottle vigorously before pouring a tiny drop onto her finger to taste.

"I think it needs the Oliver Queen taste test," Oliver advised. When Chloe tried to pass him the bottle he shook his head and held up his hands with an innocent expression. "My hands are fishy."

Chloe hesitated, but then she poured out another drop and held her breath as Oliver's lips wrapped around the tip of her finger. His eyes locked with hers as he rubbed the pad of her finger briefly with his tongue before pulling away. "Delicious," he said with a smirk before turning back to the stove.

_Damn_. Chloe drew in a shaky breath. This push and pull between them was like some extended version of foreplay that she hadn't even known existed, and the fluttering in her nerve endings was probably registering on a Richter scale somewhere. She leaned against the counter again, fighting the urge to fan herself. _I am so, so out of my league here. _

* * *

Two days later, Chloe made her way into Oliver's executive office suite. They planned to attend a fundraising barbecue for the governor that afternoon and since one of Oliver's meetings was running late, she had offered to meet him at QI. She gave her name at the security desk and was promptly ushered through to the inner suite. A woman, who appeared to be in her mid-forties, looked up from her computer at Chloe's entrance.

"HI," Chloe said as she approached the desk. "Mr. Queen is expecting me. I'm…"

"Chloe Sullivan," the woman replied. "Yes, I recognize you, and Mr. Queen told me to expect you. He's in a meeting, but he should be finished soon. I'm his executive assistant, Mary Anne. Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

"No, thank you." Chloe smiled hesitantly, unsure how to feel about the fact that people seemed to recognize her all over town now. Between her articles on the scandal surrounding Councilwoman Jenkins and the continuing tabloid coverage of her supposed affair with Oliver, the attention she got fell just this side of creepy on occasion.

Mary Anne returned her smile. "You know, my daughter is majoring in Journalism at Star City University. She's done nothing but talk about your articles on Councilwoman Jenkins for weeks now."

"People have been very supportive of the continuing story. And using money donated by the good citizens of Star City to support weapons trafficking in an area of the world where our troops are dying tends to stir up feelings of outraged patriotism. "

The older woman nodded. "And of course it leads to questions about possible misappropriation of city funds as well. She's always been very popular here, so I think voters feel especially betrayed."

"It definitely looks like Ms. Jenkins has her fingers in a lot of unsavory pies," Chloe agreed. "The F.B.I. is involved, and sources tell me that we've only scratched the surface of what she's been up to over the years. I feel certain that an indictment is coming."

Both women looked up as the door to Oliver's office opened. Chloe's eyes widened slightly when Bruce Wayne emerged, eyes on his phone.

Bruce finished sending his email response and glanced over at Oliver's assistant. He paused when he saw the young woman standing at Mary Anne's desk. The pretty, petite blonde seemed vaguely familiar, and his eyes swept over her appreciatively as he stepped forward.

"Oliver asked me to give you this, Mary Anne." Bruce said as he handed a file folder over to the assistant. He turned his attention to the blonde, wondering again why she seemed familiar. He held out his hand. "Bruce Wayne."

The young woman took his hand as she smiled at him. "Chloe Sullivan."

"Ah, that's why you seem familiar," Bruce replied. "You're Oliver's friend from Metropolis – Ms. Lane's cousin, if I remember correctly."

Chloe raised her brows curiously. "You've met Lois?"

Bruce nodded, eyes alight with mirth. "Quite a woman, your cousin. She was in Gotham a few months ago to cover a Wayne Enterprises press conference. She also snuck into my office, posing as a new employee in order to get an interview with me. I'm afraid she had a rather unfortunate encounter with my security guards and spent the better part of the day at the Gotham police station until my attorney could straighten it out."

"That sounds like Lois." Chloe laughed, tilting her head to the side.

"And I've been reading your articles on Helen Jenkins – very nice reporting, by the way," Bruce continued. "I hate to admit it, but I've met her on several occasions and she managed to fool me. I would never have suspected that she was involved in something like weapons trafficking."

"I don't think anyone suspected that," Chloe replied as she pulled out her phone. She bit her lip. "Darn, my battery is dead. I was going to send a quick message to my editor."

Bruce held up his smart phone. "You can use mine if you like. It's the latest model from the telecommunications branch of my company. To date, we have the fastest mobile web browser available." He watched Chloe as she accessed the Internet, her brow wrinkled in concentration. She seemed unsure of how to work the phone, and his mouth quirked up in amusement as she pressed the alarm by mistake.

"Oops!" She gave him a sheepish grin. "I love smart phones, but I confess that I'm all thumbs when it comes to technology."

Bruce couldn't help feeling charmed by her. "That's ok. Need any help?"

She shook her head, finally seeming to get the hang of it. She began typing her message, and he studied her with interest. She was young but very attractive, with shoulder length blonde curls and a smile that lit up her green eyes. His gaze roamed over her petite but curvaceous figure as he wondered how much of the tabloid speculation was true about her and Oliver. Probably very little – Oliver's interest ran more toward Ashlyn Sinclair and Lois Lane types rather than the sweet and pretty Chloe Sullivans of the world. And she obviously had brains to go along with her beauty. Her coverage of the scandal surrounding Helen Jenkins was very sharp and insightful.

She finished her message and handed the phone back to him with a smile. "Thanks. So, how long will you be in Star City?"

"Oliver and I have some more business to discuss, and I'm going to visit the Los Angeles branch of my company as well. I'm planning to stay until after the QI charity gala." He paused for a moment and then asked, "I'm actually attending the governor's fundraising barbecue this afternoon. Any chance I could convince you to be my escort?"

"Oh, I'm actually attending with Oliver," Chloe replied. "I'm covering the fundraiser for the paper anyway, so he asked me to go with him."

"Well, I'll see you there." Bruce winked at her as he walked away.

Chloe suppressed a laugh, sitting down in a chair to wait for Oliver. _Gotcha, Batty._

* * *

Chloe tried to ignore the numerous cameras trained on her as she allowed Oliver to lead her into the private botanical garden where the governor was hosting his fundraising barbecue. The grounds were beautiful, with lush plants and exotic flowers lining the stone walkways. They passed small ponds and tinkling fountains as they made their way to the large pavilion where most of the guests had congregated.

"Wow, the governor is manning the grill," Chloe observed, watching the charismatic man greet his guests even as he turned meats and vegetables on the fire. "I wonder if he actually knows what he's doing."

"I think grilling anything over a fire is hardwired into male DNA," Oliver quipped. "But in case I'm wrong, it looks like he has some help." He nodded toward several easily recognizable celebrity chefs who were busy preparing appetizers and other designer finger foods.

Chloe's face lit up. "Hey, look who's here!"

Oliver followed her gaze toward the bar nearest the grill and tried not to grimace when he saw Lanie's bartender friend, Sean. "Oh, look at that." He sighed as Chloe pulled him along to greet the other man.

Sean grinned when he saw Chloe approaching the bar. "Well, if it isn't Star City's latest badass reporter. What's up, Sullivan?"

Chloe laughed as she leaned across the bar to hug Sean. "I didn't know that you worked events like this."

Oliver's jaw clenched as the other man's hands slid across Chloe's bare shoulders before he released her. Lately it bothered him – _a lot_ – when other men touched Chloe. He slid his hands into his pockets, forcing himself to relax into a casual stance.

Sean shrugged. "Not my usual scene. A friend of mine does staffing for political fundraisers and society parties. I help her out sometimes if she's having trouble finding enough good bartenders who can pass the vetting process."

"I'm just happy that I'll be able to get a decent martini," Chloe replied with a smile. "But first I have to make the rounds and get quotes from all the bigwigs in attendance." She pulled her small notebook and mini recorder from her bag as she turned to Oliver. "See you later?"

Oliver nodded and watched her go, admiring the swing of her hips, sun kissed shoulders, and the length of leg revealed by the short skirt of her yellow, halter neck sundress. It was too bad that the skirt was A-line rather than fitted. He'd never really thought of himself as an ass man, but he found that more and more lately, his eyes were drawn to Chloe's rather remarkable derriere. What she lacked in height she certainly made up for in proportion. And those red, high-heeled sandals were doing her shapely legs more than a few favors while putting a lot of dirty thoughts in his head – something he didn't need any help with where Chloe was concerned.

Oliver turned back to the bar as Chloe disappeared into the crowd. "I'll have a club soda."

Sean looked surprised. "I had you pegged for a scotch," he said as he poured Oliver's drink.

"Early morning meeting tomorrow," Oliver explained as he took the glass Sean handed him.

"So, you and Sullivan, huh?" Sean began mixing a drink order as he spoke.

Oliver took a sip of his soda before replying evenly, "I don't see how that's your business."

"I guess it's not. She doesn't seem like your usual type though and don't get me wrong, I got nothing against playing the field. I've done my share," Sean replied. "And I've never been that interested in long term relationships but for a woman like Sullivan? I'd make an exception."

Oliver felt a surge of irritation and suddenly wished he'd ordered something stronger than club soda. "You know, just because you read the tabloids or see me around town doesn't mean you know me."

"True enough," Sean answered as he handed the drink order off to a server. "But I see the way you look at her. I just think you should ask yourself how far down that path you're willing to go. And if it's not all the way? Walk away, man. She deserves more."

Oliver set his glass down with a decisive clink against the bar, struggling to hold onto his temper. "Thanks for the drink." He turned and walked along the perimeter of the pavilion, stopping to talk to both business and casual acquaintances as he kept an eye out for Chloe. On the one hand, Sean rubbed him completely the wrong way because he saw how the other man looked at Chloe, too. On the other hand, he knew Sean had a point, and that irritated him even more.

Chloe did deserve to have someone who could invest a hundred percent into a relationship with her. And between running his company, his patrols and guiding his team, he didn't have a hundred percent to devote to anyone. It was one of the reasons he had ended things with Lois, and the main reason Lois had rejected him even after she'd learned the truth about his alter ego. What if he tried to take things to another level with Chloe and it all backfired? The possibility of not having her in his life at all was a real concern at this point.

Then again, she might not even be thinking of him in those terms. He wasn't blind, so he knew she was attracted to him, and they'd had a flirtation going in past weeks that was gradually ramping up in intensity. But attraction alone did not a relationship make; at least, not the kind he was beginning to think he wanted with her. She'd obviously been hanging onto her childhood crush on Clark for years, and Oliver honestly had no idea if she had put those feelings to rest or not. The fact that they still weren't talking about whatever had happened between them told him there were still strong feelings in play. Then there was Jimmy. She always put Clark ahead of everyone else, including Jimmy. Would he be able to handle being second in her life once she and Clark worked out their differences?

He finally spotted Chloe talking to Star City's mayor, James Whittaker. He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, his expression brooding as he watched her making notes in her notebook. He wished he could talk to someone who knew Chloe – but, his choices were pretty limited. There was Clark, of course, but he'd rather shoot himself in the foot with one of his own arrows than talk to Clark about putting the moves on Chloe. That pretty much left Lois. And since she was his ex-girlfriend, she wasn't really the best option either.

"Your companion tonight is quite an interesting woman."

Oliver glanced to his left as Bruce joined him. "You haven't even met her."

Bruce shook his head. "Oh, I've met her – earlier today when I was leaving your office. Her cell phone was dead so I very graciously allowed her to use mine. She mentioned she wasn't very good with technology."

"Really?" Oliver fought the grin that was threatening to creep across his face as he wondered what Chloe was up to.

"And yet, the strangest thing happened this afternoon. After I left the lovely Ms. Sullivan at your office, someone hacked my phone and sent me a text – I'd show you, but they also changed my password and I appear to be locked out at the moment. Mr. Fox is working on that little problem."

"So what did the message say?" Oliver asked, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"It was a warning about the dangers of letting my guard down, and it was accompanied by an interesting little emoticon – a vampire bat happy face. Signed, W.T. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that I've had the pleasure of meeting the infamous Watchtower," Bruce murmured, his eyes on Chloe now as well.

God, that was so Chloe and Oliver couldn't help laughing. "She obviously knew she was outing herself. I'd have paid good money to see her conning you today," he added, already planning to have Victor pull the security feed from his office.

Bruce glanced at Oliver. "I'd have guessed after seeing you with her tonight anyway. Hard as it is for me to believe, Oliver Queen is wearing his heart on his sleeve for a tiny, brainy blonde with mad hacking skills. I'd try to steal her away, but I think I'd have a fight on my hands."

"Damn straight," Oliver muttered. "Get your own sidekick."

"Odd though," Bruce continued. "You don't usually drag your feet when it comes to the ladies. Something you need to talk about?"

"With you? You've tried to steal two of my girlfriends in the past couple of years."

"Come on, man, I think 'girlfriend' is a stretch, don't you? I can be sensitive to the fact that you are clearly _way_ out of your depth here. You can get drunk and tell me your girl troubles, and I'll pat you on the back and reassure you that love conquers all." Bruce smirked as he continued to needle Oliver.

Oliver wondered how much damage control his PR people would have to do if he knocked Bruce on his ass. Probably a lot – it was a political fundraiser, and press were crawling all over the place. "Funny coming from the guy who let said tiny blonde get the best of him after only one meeting."

"Like I said before, she's quite a woman – one I'd like to know better. I believe I'll take you up on that team meeting while I'm in town. Maybe this weekend?" Bruce glanced at his watch. "I have another event to attend this evening. I'll see you in the morning for our breakfast meeting."

Oliver was beginning to regret ever asking Bruce to join a League meeting. He wasn't used to feeling like he had so much competition for a woman's attention. Mike, Sean and now Bruce – hell, she probably had half the newsroom pining for her attention too. Jealousy was an unfamiliar emotion to Oliver because his relationships usually didn't warrant it. He had no doubt that was exactly what he was feeling now though, and he didn't like it at all.

* * *

Chloe concluded her interview with Mayor Whittaker and watched him continue to work the crowd, glad handing anyone who might line his campaign coffers. For weeks, Chloe had had her suspicions that the good mayor of Star City was somehow involved in Helen Jenkins' fraudulent activities. The two had worked closely together long before he'd been the mayor, though he'd definitively distanced himself from her since the scandal broke. There was also the fact that talking to him set off her bullshit detector on a five alarm level, something she'd learned to pay attention to in her years of dealing with both Lionel and Lex. Yet, she had absolutely no proof that his hands were dirty.

She sensed Oliver's approach before she saw him, and that familiar warmth crept over her as he slid an arm around her waist. "Did I see you talking to Bruce earlier?"

"He told me that he met you this afternoon. He's also agreed to a team meeting, despite that trick with his phone – or maybe because of it. You've definitely piqued his interest." Oliver paused, trying to keep the jealousy from his tone. "By the way, you'll have a little delivery tomorrow as a thank you."

Chloe wondered if Oliver was jealous of Bruce. It seemed unlikely, but she didn't think she was imagining the slight edge in his voice when he talked about Bruce. She turned and looked up at him, smiling playfully as she rested her hand on his arm. "You realize that by rewarding me, you're only encouraging me to make Bruce's life hell."

Oliver tightened his arm around her as he grinned. "There's a downside to that?"

Chloe shook her head as she slid her hand down to link her fingers with Oliver's. "Come on, I need food and a really good martini."

"Do you have everything for your article?" Oliver asked, allowing Chloe to pull him along behind her. At her nod, he said, "I have an idea then. We'll have one drink, make the rounds once more, and then there's a little French bistro that just opened that I think you'll love. Sound good?"

Frankly, anything involving Oliver sounded good to her at this point. "I like the way you think, Mr. Queen."

The food at the French restaurant was casual but delicious, and Chloe enjoyed the conversation with Oliver over a bottle of wine even more. When she was with him, she felt like she held his full attention, regardless of the people who stopped to talk to him whenever he was out. And then there were the women; seriously, they were everywhere and had no problem throwing themselves at Oliver right in front of her. He was always polite but perfunctory, and he usually got rid of the intruders as quickly as possible.

It was empowering and revelatory. In the past, she'd always shared Clark's attention with Lana and even with Lois to a certain extent. And Jimmy's attention had wandered to Clark's cousin, Kara, though she knew he hadn't actively chosen to pursue his interest. Having the full and undivided attention of a man like Oliver Queen was boosting her girl power to new heights.

After dinner, Oliver drove Chloe back to his office so she could get her car. And though she'd assured him it wasn't necessary, he insisted on following her back to her apartment. He ushered her safely into her building, and Chloe held her breath as they stood in front of her door, the tension between them thick with things she wasn't sure she was ready for.

Something about the way Oliver was looking at her tonight seemed different, and she trembled slightly as he slid his hand across her shoulders. He leaned down and gently, oh so gently, pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. That smell that was distinctly Oliver was making her dizzy, and she had never wanted anyone to kiss her more than she did at that moment. When he pulled away, Chloe realized she was holding her breath, and she let it out slowly as she unlocked her door. She wondered if anyone had ever died from unresolved sexual tension or if she'd be the first victim.

"I don't think I told you earlier, but that dress? Very nice," Oliver said as he winked at her and turned back toward the elevator.

Chloe couldn't wipe the grin off her face as she closed her door and slid down to sit on the floor. She leaned her head back as she waited for her Oliver high to die down. He was definitely killing her, and now more than ever, she could see they were approaching a crossroads. She was falling for him, fast, and hard. Her smile faded as she thought about what that meant. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, hitting a speed dial button and waiting for the answering message to conclude. "Hey Lo, it's your favorite cousin calling to see if you think you can make it out here to visit me anytime soon. Call me back when you get this message and we'll work out a time, ok? Love you."

Chloe hung up and before she could lose her nerve, she dialed another number from her contact list. He answered immediately, and Chloe felt her anxiety easing as soon as she heard his voice. "Clark? It's Chloe."

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait (again) – I wish I had more time to work on these stories, but I'm home visiting for the first time in 18 months, and RL has been insanely busy with constant interruptions. I have finished outlining this story, and it will be about 18 chapters, so we're on the downhill slide. **

**I totally rewrote the beginning of this chapter b/c I was having issues with the timing in the story.****This chapter was also about 3,000 words longer, but I decided to put that with the next chapter. Hopefully with all the changes it still flows well. The next one only needs editing, so I'll update this story again soon. Just for fun, I have found pics to go along with my original characters. If you'd like to take a look, you can find them on my Livejournal account (poetgirl925.) If any of you are on Twitter, please look me up (poetgirl925.) Thanks again to all who read and review! I hope you're enjoying the story. And special thanks to NovemberVisionary - you're always so great about reading excerpts and debating plot points. It's much appreciated!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Lois was already at her desk, going through correspondence and checking the AP headlines when Clark appeared, grinning and holding a donut box and a couple of coffees. _Wow, he looks happy. Like, really, really happy_, she thought wonderingly.

"Ok, either you're about to break the story of the century, in which case you'd better share, or you've been into some serious happy pills this morning," Lois said, reaching for one of the coffees. "What gives, Smallville?"

At Lois' urging, Clark had gone back to school and gotten a job working for an online news site that was based out of Metropolis. And while Lois personally thought most of his assignments were a little boring, and the pay was peanuts, it seemed that Clark actually enjoyed writing local human interest stories. She also had to admit that he had a fluid writing style and a knack for finding a hook for readers. Apparently some of Chloe's influence from their Torch days had rubbed off on him after all.

Clark settled into the chair beside her desk and pushed up the glasses he had started wearing recently. "Chloe called me last night. I think things are going to be ok with us… more than ok. She wants me to come for a visit."

"Oh, that's… I'm happy for you Clark. She called me too, but I haven't had a chance to call her back yet." Lois forced a smile even as she felt a funny sinking sensation in her stomach.

She had been pushing Clark for months to make some changes and throw off the funk he'd been in since both Lana and Chloe had left. She felt like she'd been marginally successful, getting him off the farm and out into the world on a semi-regular basis. He had gone back to school the previous semester, deciding to take journalism classes. Then she had finally talked him into interviewing for some local news reporting jobs, and his mood had improved even more when he'd gotten the job with Metropolis Online. But none of that compared to this. As silly as it was, she couldn't help feeling a bit dismayed that after one phone call from Chloe, he was practically lighting up downtown Metropolis with his glow of happiness.

"When do you think you can get time off?" Clark asked. "I thought we could go out there together. Chloe's birthday is coming up soon anyway."

Lois shook off her pensive mood as she took a sip of coffee. "I should be able to take at least a couple of days, maybe more if I can work a story angle out of it. I heard that Bruce Wayne has been in meetings with Ollie in Star City, so there's probably a story there, and I have an in that most reporters don't have. But you know we have a new editor-in-chief."

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I saw that press conference last week. Lex has been out of the public eye for a couple of months now. He's spending all of his time at Luthor Corp branches around the country or at the mansion in Smallville. So, how do you like Tess Mercer?"

Lois made a face. "She's one of Lex's minions, so I don't trust her. And she's another editor who has no experience with news reporting or running a paper. Do you know how many good reporters and editors have jumped ship since Lex took over? On the other hand, I can grudgingly admit that she has hired some new people that have the requisite skill set needed to keep us competitive. And speaking of the Devil's mistress…" she muttered as she spotted the tall, auburn haired woman approaching her desk.

"Ms. Lane, I'm sure I don't need to remind you that visitors are frowned upon during the work day." Tess arched an elegant brow as she stopped beside Lois' desk.

Clark rose and held out his hand. "I'm sorry, that's my fault. I had some good news to share about Lois' cousin."

Tess looked him over carefully before taking his hand. "Tess Mercer, the new editor-in-chief. And you are?"

"Clark Kent," he answered.

A flash of recognition crossed her features. "Yes, of course," she murmured. "You're reporting for Metropolis Online now – I read your article on the house fire that was mysteriously doused before firefighters could arrive. Concentrating on the family's experience was a nice touch to draw in readers. With a few more stories under your belt, I'd be interested in talking to you about working here."

Lois frowned suspiciously. Tess Mercer was usually coolly professional, and had already been dubbed the Ice Queen by the bullpen. But she was being unusually cordial now.

Clark glanced at Lois. He appeared as confused as she felt. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Lois decided to seize the moment. "I'd like to talk to you about taking a couple of days to travel to Star City. Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne are rumored to be negotiating a merger, and there is also the annual Queen Industries Charity Gala coming up in the next couple of weeks. Given Mr. Queen's ties to Metropolis, it would be a good story for us to pick up if I can get an exclusive."

Tess tilted her head as she regarded Lois. "And your cousin is there too, working for the _Gazette_. Quite a name she's making for herself on the west coast."

Lois raised her brows at Tess. It wasn't the first time she felt like her new editor was on a fishing expedition for information about her cousin. Her protective instincts flared up as she replied evenly, "Chloe is a damn good reporter – definitely the _Planet's_ loss." Her tone made it clear she expected Tess to back off the subject of Chloe.

"Agreed," Tess responded smoothly. "I'd hire her back, but she and Mr. Luthor don't get along. Then again, it seems she has other reasons to stay in Star City now. She and Oliver Queen appear to be quite close. I'm surprised that doesn't bother you more given your history with Oliver." She sent a pointed look at one of the photos pinned to Lois's cubicle.

Lois and several other _Planet_ employees had bought Team Chlollie T-shirts as a joke and had taken a group photo to send to Chloe. Lois had even sweetly asked that Jimmy be the photographer since she was still holding a grudge for the way he had publicly dumped her cousin. And while it was the best thing that could have happened to Chloe, she still liked rubbing his face in Chloe's personal and professional success. The photo had appeared in the _Daily Planet's_ society section, and was also picked up nationally by a few entertainment news outlets. All good press for the _Planet_, since the perceived courtship between a local girl and a world famous playboy was very popular with Metropolis readers.

_God, this woman is such a bitch_. Lois remained silent because she knew that Tess was deliberately poking at her in hopes of hitting a vein and it wasn't the first time. What the purpose was she had no idea; but it was clear Tess was curious about Chloe and Oliver.

Clark stepped in to defuse the tension between the two women. "We're all good friends, actually. Chloe has been my best friend since middle school, and we met Oliver after he came to talk to my mom about her campaign a couple of years ago."

"Yes, I met your mother in Washington last year. How is Senator Kent these days?" Tess kept her eyes on Lois even as she spoke to Clark.

"She's doing well." Clark looked between the two women, wondering what exactly was going on. There was clearly some kind of power struggle in play here, and he didn't like Tess' curiosity about Chloe. It was evident that Lois didn't like it either.

"I'm glad to hear that. And Ms. Lane, I'm sure we can spare you for a few days. Take Olsen with you – readership has picked up since we started running with the Team Chlollie angle, and I'd like to capitalize on that with some exclusive photos. You can plan to go this weekend and stay through the QI gala next week. I'll expect a story on the business Queen and Wayne have with each other, and a story on the gala."

"I'd rather take Bradford," Lois said, gritting her teeth at the idea of ambushing Chloe with her ex.

Tess smirked. "I think Olsen will do." She turned away from Lois dismissively. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Kent. I'm sure I'll see you again."

"I don't know what her deal is with Chloe, but her wanting me to take Jimmy to Star City is not a coincidence," Lois fumed as they watched Tess leave the newsroom.

"Is she normally so curious about Chloe?" Clark asked with a concerned expression on his face.

"She has brought her up a few times; no idea why." Lois sighed. "I'll have to call Chloe and warn her about Jimmy. He's been pissy ever since the stories first broke linking Chloe to Ollie. He's convinced that she cheated on him, so I don't know how he'll behave when he sees her in Star City."

Clark looked at the photo on Lois' desk. "But the stories are ridiculous, right? I mean, they are just friends."

"Yeah, they're friends, but surely you've noticed all the photos we've been running of them," Lois replied. "They're spending a lot of time together and if you ask me, there's something there even if they don't want to admit it yet."

Clark was silent, and Lois thought he seemed unsettled by the idea of Chloe with Oliver. He looked moody again as he picked up the copy of the _Daily Planet_ on Lois' desk. It was open to the Society section, and several color photos of Chloe and Oliver at a fundraiser the previous day were featured. They looked happy and completely wrapped up in one another, and Lois had to applaud her cousin's wardrobe choices of late. She looked both cute and sophisticated in her yellow halter neck dress with the sassy red sandals. And the way Oliver was looking at her, he had noticed as well.

Clark sighed. "I have to get to work. I'll talk to my boss today about going to Star City this weekend."

"Good because I think we should have a surprise party for her while we're there. I'm planning to ask the General and Lucy to come, and I'm going to give Uncle Gabe a call, too. Do you think your mom could make it? I know Chloe would love to see her."

"I'll ask her. I'll talk to you later." He seemed more despondent as he left, and Lois rolled her eyes over his mercurial mood swings. Shaking her head, she picked up the phone to call Chloe.

* * *

Martha nearly dropped her coffee mug when Clark whooshed into her office. She raised a hand to her chest; being away, she had almost forgotten what it was like to be startled by her son's abrupt entrances. "Clark, sweetheart, you're going to give me more gray hairs if you keep sneaking up on me like that." She stepped forward to hug him tightly.

"Sorry Mom," Clark replied with a smile. "How are you?"

"Better now that you're here. How are your classes going? And how is the new job working out?" She was happy that Clark had gone back to school, and she was proud of the articles he had been writing for Metropolis Online. Considering how he had moped for months after Lana left him and Chloe moved away, they were big steps for him.

"Everything is fine, Mom," he answered as he followed her to sit on the sofa.

She reached out to smooth his hair, and she touched his glasses. "I see you took my advice." When news broke about the mysterious Blur of Metropolis, Martha had been concerned that eventually someone might recognize Clark. Her worry only increased after he started his new job in the city.

Clark grimaced a little. "I still don't really like wearing them, or wearing the red hoodie and glasses when I patrol. Makes me feel too much like Bart," he explained, "and I have to remember to take the glasses off before using my heat vision. But I know it's the smart thing to do, especially now that I'm working in the city during the day, too."

"Well, we can always rethink your patrol uniform later," Martha pointed out. "But in the meantime, it gets the job done and I can sleep better at night without the worry that I'll wake up one morning to find that you've been outed as the Blur."

"I know." Clark seemed restless, and he stood up and got a bottle of water from her small fridge. "By the way, Lois and I are going to Star City this weekend to see Chloe. Both her editor and mine want a story on the merger Bruce Wayne is rumored to be meeting with Oliver about, and coverage on the charity gala QI is hosting. Lois wants to have a surprise birthday party for Chloe while we're there – do you think you could come out for a day or two?"

Martha was surprised. "Honey, I thought you said you haven't spoken to Chloe since she moved." She had spoken to Chloe a few times, but they always carefully avoided the subject of Clark.

Clark took a drink of his water as he sat down beside her. "She called me last night and invited me to come. We talked for a long time, and I think things will be ok." He smiled as he continued, "It was just like it used to be when we were talking."

"I'm so glad you're working things out, sweetheart. I know how much you missed her when she left." Martha reached out and squeezed his hand. "I think I can take a couple of days to come out there. Just let me know when."

"Ok." Clark began to toy with the label on his water bottle.

Martha waited patiently; she knew her son well enough to know when he was working up the courage to talk about something that made him uncomfortable.

"Mom, I know that I didn't really talk to you, or anyone, about why Lana left, or why Chloe and I haven't been speaking," he finally said.

"Do you want to talk about it now?" She had tried to get Clark to open up to her, but he had been far too sullen at the time.

He continued picking at the label, twisting the bottle in his hands. "I was upset when Chloe told me she was moving," he finally replied. "Lana kept trying to get me to talk about it, and we argued. She told me that she thought that Chloe and I were too dependent on one another, that I used Chloe's friendship as a crutch to keep from trusting anyone else too much."

"And that made you angry," Martha said softly, mentally shaking her head that Lana would attack Clark's friendship with Chloe, especially under the circumstances.

"Yes. She said that if I really loved her, I should be able to trust her the same way that I trust Chloe. But she lied to me, Mom – about a lot of things. And her time with Lex changed her, made her bitter. It's hard to trust someone who's carrying out a secret vendetta against someone they loved in the past. And when I told her that, she said she didn't think we had anything else to talk about. So I let her leave."

Martha sighed. "Clark, I know that you loved Lana, and I think she loved you too. But you put her on a pedestal when you were children, and you fell in love with your idea of her long before you loved the woman. She was the perfect girl next door to you, but she's also a young woman who has flaws and demons just like the rest of us. And she was no better really – she was obsessed with finding out your secrets, and she saw you as a super man when she learned the truth. But no one's perfect. You have to learn to love the imperfections too."

"I just want what you and Dad had," Clark said. "I think deep down I knew I would never have that with Lana, and that's why I let her leave. I miss her, but I'm not sorry."

"Honey, your father was difficult to live with sometimes. And he made me angry quite often, especially when we first married, but I loved him, warts and all." She laughed as she remembered some of the tumultuous events from their courtship and marriage. She reached out and smoothed his hair gently. "You guard yourself against the world, and it's understandable. In the wrong hands, your secrets are dangerous to you and everyone you care about. But you have to learn to let go of the pieces of yourself that will allow someone to really love you the way you deserve to be loved."

"Chloe loves me – or, she did. She asked me why I couldn't love her before she left, and I've been asking myself that same question ever since."

Martha's heart hurt at the sadness on her son's face. "Is that why you haven't spoken?" She watched as he resumed twisting the water bottle. He was silent for so long that she thought he might not answer her at all.

Finally, he continued. "Chloe came to see me the day before she left Smallville," he said slowly. "Lana had stopped to see her before she left, and she wanted to make sure I was ok. And when I saw her, all I could think about was her asking me why I couldn't love her, and I didn't want her to leave. I thought maybe I could give her what she wanted and she would stay. So I kissed her."

He was squeezing the water bottle so tightly now that Martha was surprised he hadn't crushed it. She reached out and gently took it from him. "And she wasn't happy about that." It wasn't a question.

Clark swallowed hard. "She was hurt and angry, and she told me that I was selfish, that I was using her feelings against her to get what I wanted. But I never meant to hurt her, Mom. I was sad because sometimes it feels like everyone I've ever cared about has left me, and I didn't want her to go."

Martha felt tears pricking at her eyes. "Honey, I never meant for you to feel abandoned when I left Smallville. And if you need me, I'll come home."

But Clark shook his head. "I've been doing a lot of thinking since Chloe moved to Star City. I felt isolated, but I think that was more my own fault than anyone else's. It's not your responsibility or Chloe's even, to keep me from hiding away from people. Lois told me I was being a morbid hermit and I needed to get over myself." He smiled as he remembered the day that Lois had dragged him down to the university to register for classes.

Martha laughed. "That sounds like Lois. She's been a good friend to you too you know." She had often thought the sparks that flew between Clark and Lois reminded her a little of herself when she first met Jonathan.

"I know. Mom, you told me once that there are all kinds of love in the world."

She knew he wasn't talking about Lois. "You're wondering if what you feel for Chloe is the love of a friend or something more."

Clark rested his forearms on his knees, leaning forward. "Over the years there have been a couple of times when I've been confused about how I feel. On Dark Thursday we kind of had a moment and I thought maybe we could be something else. But then she started dating Jimmy, and Lana and I were back together. It's like what you said about loving someone, imperfections and all. Chloe knows everything about me, good and bad. And I know she's not perfect either. But we've always cared about each other no matter what. She loved me even when she knew I was hiding things from her."

"But Clark, that doesn't mean you're in love with each other. You can love a friend that way too," she said. "And I'm not trying to tell you what you do or don't feel for her – you're the only one who can decide that. But it's not fair to her, or to you, if you're just transferring what you felt for Lana to Chloe because you're afraid you're going to lose her. The fact that she reached out to you again tells me that she still wants you in her life."

"I'm afraid to talk to her about it again," he confessed. "She got so angry the last time."

"Honey, you manipulated her the last time – that's why she was angry. I know you didn't mean to do that, but I'm sure that's how she felt. I think you should wait and see how you feel when you see her again. And if you think you still might feel more for her then tell her, honestly, what you're feeling. She's not going to be angry with you for that."

Clark leaned forward and hugged her tightly, and Martha wrapped her arms around him. It seemed like only a short time ago that he had been her baby, and now he was a grown man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I want you to know that I'm proud of you, and your father would be proud of you too. You have his sense of honor, and I see the same good in you that I loved in him. Even if you and Chloe are never anything more than friends, I know she sees that too, and she'll always love you for it."

She looked at her son as she sat back, still holding his hands. Though she knew it wasn't possible, she wished she could fix all of his worries and problems. She supposed all mothers felt that way about their children, even when it was better for them to find their own way.

"Lois thinks there might be something going on between Chloe and Oliver." Clark didn't look terribly happy about that idea.

Martha thought about the many photos she had seen lately of Chloe and Oliver together. She had honestly begun to wonder about their relationship herself. "Is Lois upset about it?"

Clark shook his head. "I don't think so. She actually seemed to like the idea. But Oliver hurt her when he left, and I don't want to see Chloe hurt like that."

"Oliver and Lois are two people who each have a very strong will. They want what they want, when they want it – sometimes a relationship between two people like that doesn't work well because they don't know when to stop the power struggle and compromise. It doesn't mean either of them was at fault, it just means they weren't right for one another. And Chloe is a smart and beautiful young woman, and she's incredibly loyal and fiercely protective of those she loves. I'd be very surprised if a man like Oliver didn't notice and appreciate that about her."

"I want Chloe to be happy, Mom. I wish she could be happy in Metropolis with me and Lois, but if her life in Star City is what she needs now then I think I have to try to understand. I just wish I wasn't so confused about it all right now."

"I think you'll figure it out after you talk to her. She's your oldest friend," she pointed out. "You'll work things out the way you always have." She honestly believed that Clark was only confused because he missed Chloe. Once he saw her again and reassured himself that he hadn't lost her completely, she thought he would understand what he was feeling a lot better.

"You're right. I wish I had talked to you before now. Maybe I wouldn't have wasted so much time feeling sorry for myself." Clark stood up, his mood lighter than it had been when he'd arrived.

"Well, you wouldn't be my boy if you didn't mope a bit," Martha teased him affectionately. "Your father fixed that room up for you in the loft for a reason. Just remember it's not always healthy to live too much inside your own head."

"Thanks, Mom. I have to get back to work, but I'll call you this weekend when I have the party details." He grinned, kissed her cheek, and then he was gone as suddenly as he'd arrived, sending a few of her papers floating to the floor from her desk. She shook her head. He might be grown now, but some things never changed.

* * *

Chloe still felt like she was floating when she arrived at work the following morning. Several of the reporters in the bullpen called greetings to her as she walked past. She had actually carved her own niche here – she felt like she belonged. She set her bag down at her desk and picked up her mug, intending to go to the break room for coffee.

"Chloe Sullivan?"

She turned to see a young man holding a very large bouquet of flowers. The arrangement was gorgeous, with deep fuchsia calla lilies and a few other exotic flowers she wasn't familiar with. "I'm Chloe," she confirmed, smiling as he set the arrangement on her desk. He turned to go and she plucked the card from the arrangement, expecting to see a note from Oliver.

_Chloe,_

_Beautiful flowers for an interesting and beautiful young woman. Consider this a white flag – I'd like to make it back to Gotham with all of my gadgets intact. Perhaps we can have dinner before I leave? You have my number._

_Bruce_

Chloe couldn't help feeling amused as she slid the card back into the envelope. She wondered if he was really this charming, or if he was working an angle. She suspected the latter.

"Chloe Sullivan?"

She looked up to see another delivery person standing before her. "I'm Chloe," she replied curiously.

The man reached into a thermal bag and pulled out a venti sized coffee and a pastry box. "Delivery from Edgar's Bakery," he said as he handed both items to her. "You'll have a delivery every weekday morning."

She was aware that she was attracting a bit of attention and a flush creeped up her cheeks. There was a card on top of the pastry box and she opened it warily.

_Chloe,_

_Welcome to the JL incentive program – feel free to drive a certain visitor as batty as you'd like. Also, Vic pulled the feed from yesterday, and we're agreed that you are one scary woman. Brilliant, yes – but scary. And thanks for a great evening. Let me know if you're free for lunch today._

_Ollie_

Chloe couldn't stop the silly grin from spreading across her face as she tucked the card into her bag. She peeked into the pastry box to see her favorite blueberry cream cheese muffins, and the coffee smelled like heaven. She sat down and took a sip as she booted up her computer.

"So many deliveries for one morning. I have to wonder why someone like Oliver Queen would bother with someone like you."

Chloe turned to see Gwyn standing behind her, staring at the large floral arrangement with a sneering, though jealous, expression on her face. "Not that it's your business, but the flowers are from someone else." She stood to face the other woman, refusing to allow her to have so much of a height advantage.

"You know, all the media outlets may run with this ludicrous idea that you're involved with Oliver, but we both know that you're not really his type." She reached out and trailed her perfectly manicured nails across one of the calla lilies.

Chloe raised a brow, feeling a little like she was back in high school. "Well since there's a better chance that the moon will fall and land on your designer knockoff ass than there is that Oliver will ever give you the time of day, I have to wonder why you care."

Gwyn pulled her hand away from the flowers, an expression of intense dislike on her face as she stared at Chloe. "Just an observation; and don't think that they're not all thinking the same thing." She gestured towards the other reporters in the bullpen. "This media circus that's so obsessed with you and Oliver is going to end with you being the joke of Star City."

"And she might actually care about your opinion if you weren't a second rate hack who gets more stories on her back than through actual interviews." Lanie had arrived just in time to hear Gwyn's last comment. "Just an observation, Gwyn. And from the rumor mill, I _know_ they're all thinking the same thing." She nodded towards the other reporters who were starting to take notice of the tension between the three women.

Chloe couldn't help smiling; trust Lanie to just jump into the fray with both feet where Gwyn was concerned.

Gwyn looked livid as she focused her vitriol on Lanie. "And here's Melanie, Chloe's little shadow. How does it feel to be the only one left out? After all, Mike is looking very chummy with Ashlyn Sinclair these days – you're just never quite good enough, are you?" She turned abruptly and brushed her hair over her shoulder as she stalked away from Chloe's desk.

"If there is any justice in this world, karma is going to make Gwyn her bitch some day," Lanie muttered darkly. "Is it wrong that I have imagined hundreds of ways in which she could die a gruesome and painful death?"

"Hey, calm down Lanie. Like you said, no one here cares what she thinks," Chloe replied.

"I am still sick of her swanning through here, spewing her crap whenever she feels like it. God, it's been this way since college, and I am telling you, she is a bona fide sociopath. I would not put anything past her," Lanie seethed.

"Well, I am done playing nice since she seems to be itching to take it to the mat," Chloe said. "If she really wants to square off, I can get behind that."

"Any ideas? Bonus points if they involve her utter annihilation."

Chloe smiled at Lanie. "Let's just say that today, my middle name is karma." Her desk phone rang, and Chloe answered. "Chloe Sullivan." When there was only silence, she said, "Hello?"

A quiet, nervous voice responded. "Ms. Sullivan, this is Samantha Sutton. I know that you've been working on story about Helen Jenkins. I used to work for her, and I have some information that can help you."

Chloe's eyes widened as she motioned frantically for Lanie to get her pen and notepad from her desk drawer. "I know who you are. I've been trying to find you for a couple of months now." She took the pen and pad from Lanie and scribbled 'Samantha Sutton' for Lanie to see. Lanie dropped into the chair beside Chloe's desk and scooted it closer.

"I took some private files from Ms. Jenkins before I resigned. I learned a lot more than she ever intended for me to know, and the files were supposed to be insurance. But after I saw some of the information in the files, I was terrified of what they would do to me. I've been hiding."

"They?" Chloe questioned. "Look, I know people who can help keep you safe. Just tell me where you are."

"I'll meet you, but only you. I don't trust the police here," Samantha said, her voice shaky. "I'll be in the alley behind Café Firenze on 5th and Knox in twenty minutes. If you're not there, I won't contact you again." She hung up abruptly.

Chloe hung up the phone and stood, biting her lip. When she had broken the story on Helen Jenkins, Oliver had been concerned about the fallout, and he'd made Chloe swear that she would not follow any leads alone until the woman and all of her associates were indicted. She had given him her word. She grabbed her phone and hit speed dial 1, heaving a frustrated sigh when she got Oliver's voicemail. She immediately tried Bart, then AC, but also got voicemail.

She turned to Lanie. "Where's Mike?"

"He had some interviews scheduled for this morning, so he's not here yet. What's wrong?"

Chloe picked up her bag and grabbed Lanie's hand. "She's willing to meet with me, but it's a onetime only deal and it's going down in twenty minutes. If I'm not alone, she bails. But I promised Oliver I wouldn't follow leads alone for the time being, so I need you to be my backup if that's ok."

It took only fifteen minutes to get to Café Firenze. As planned, Chloe allowed Lanie to position herself in a doorway at the end of the alley before she followed to wait for Ms. Sutton. Five minutes passed, then ten. At the fifteen minute mark Chloe wondered if the woman was actually going to show.

"Chloe Sullivan?"

The voice seemed to come from thin air behind her, and only years of being ambushed by Clark kept Chloe from jumping straight out of her heels. She turned and saw an attractive African American woman in her mid-thirties standing before her, apparently having entered the alley through the partially boarded entrance of an abandoned building.

At Chloe's nod, she passed a thick file to her. "This should be everything you need."

Chloe slipped the file into her bag as she said, "Ms. Sutton, I know people who can keep you safe, and they're not connected to the police here. You don't have to keep running."

The other woman shook her head. "You have no idea how far this goes, or how far their reach is. You should go straight to the F.B.I. with this. Do not trust the police here."

The sound of screeching tires caused both women to tense as a dark sedan turned into the mouth of the alley right behind Chloe. Chloe pushed Samantha back into the doorway and shoved her bag at her. "Run!"

Samantha took off and Chloe tried to follow, only to be tugged back by a beefy arm. Chloe struggled, kicking back, but the man pulled her straight up off her feet. Her legs were now kicking helplessly as she failed to gain leverage for a counterattack. She bit down as hard as she could on the hand covering her mouth and tasted the metallic tang of blood.

"Fucking bitch!"

The man holding her slapped her, hard, and pulled her back into the waiting sedan. Through the ringing in her ears, she heard a woman screaming. _Lanie_, she thought fuzzily. Then something struck the side of her head and she slipped into the waiting darkness.

**A/N – Second update this week – I'm on a roll with the editing for a change! Just a reminder that images of my original characters can be viewed on my LiveJournal page (Poetgirl925.) Also no beta, and my eyes are tired b/c it's late, so if there are glaring errors let me know.**

****Minor Spoilers for S8 and S9 below****

**So. A lot of drama going on in this chapter. That's why the last one was so fluffy lol. I debated with myself about whether I should include the Clark/Martha conversation here, but ultimately decided this is where it fit best. I'm not as comfortable writing Clark – hopefully it doesn't suck. But I was never a fan of Lana's kryptosuit storyline – it turned her and Clark into some star-crossed doomed love affair, and it was insulting to the Clois storyline in my opinion as we're left to assume that he'd still be with Lana if possible. Also, Clark appeared fickle, with his emotions waffling all over the place between Lana and Lois during S8. So in this AU, like actual adults, they couldn't reconcile their differences and they broke up. Enough said. I tried not to make Clark too OOC here, and I hope I made it clear that it was never his intention to hurt Chloe, but with his life in complete upheaval I felt his actions were plausible. 'Cuz ya know, sometimes men are clueless like that.**

**And I made some other adjustments to canon here – in my world Clark's not a total idiot, assuming that no one will recognize him as he shows his face all over town as the Blur and as a reporter covering Blur stories. Surely at some point, Martha should have cautioned him about this. Don't even get me started on his crazy, blatant vandalism in S9, burning his symbol into every inanimate object that crossed his path. And darn it, you need a degree and you know, actual reporting experience to work for a paper like the **_**Daily Planet**_**. I was the managing editor of my college paper and I have a minor in Communications - the world of professional news writing is both difficult and competitive. *sigh* And I know Lois doesn't have a degree either (though I guess her **_**Inquisitor**_** days give her a leg up on Clark's high school reporting experience) but someone had to work at the DP in this story.**

**Ok, rant finished. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Now unfortunately, Chloe's having a very bad day, and Lanie's isn't much better when she tangles with the Justice League and Batman while tracking leads on Chloe. So hang onto your hats, it's about to get bumpy! **


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Mike opened the door of the café and looked around for Ashlyn. When he spotted her, he couldn't help smiling. She just had that effect on him. If someone had told him a couple of months earlier that he would be spending a large portion of his free time with Ashlyn Sinclair, he'd never have believed them. After all, on the surface they had little to nothing in common.

But underneath the money, the glamorous lifestyle, and the designer tags, he felt like he was getting to know the real Ashlyn. She was smart as hell for one thing, and she had a really logical approach to her fashion design business. She had a Business degree from UCLA, something that had surprised him, and she had studied fashion design at a school in Paris while she was modeling.

They both loved sports, particularly basketball. He'd begun attending games with her on a regular basis, and they both enjoyed the casual outings together. They both had tightly knit families. He'd been surprised by how down-to-earth Ashlyn's parents were, and she had a younger brother who was still in college. Mike had three younger siblings, all sisters, so he knew what it was like to feel protective of family.

He'd been invited to family dinners at the Sinclair house, and he felt as comfortable there now as he did with his own family. Ashlyn's father, Tom, was a sports nut, and her younger brother Ethan played baseball for UCLA. Ashlyn's mother was also not what he'd expected, and he could see exactly where Ashlyn's combination of beauty and brains came from.

Like Ashlyn, French born Aimee Laurent-Sinclair had done some modeling in her younger years. But she also had a love of baking, and after studying with some of the best culinary minds in France, she'd returned to L.A. and opened a bakery that specialized in wedding cakes and other designer baked goods for California's elite. She had expanded as far as New York, and though she eventually put others in charge so she could concentrate on her family, she still loved creating dishes in the kitchen.

And just as he had fit in with her family, Ashlyn seemed at home with his. His parents and sisters adored her, and she even weathered the large extended family gathering his parents had recently hosted for his sister's high school graduation. Mike had been concerned that the whole family together would be overwhelming for her, but Ashlyn had waved him away as she joined his mother, sisters, and aunts in the kitchen.

But despite the amount of time they'd been spending together of late, they were still keeping things in the friend zone. Mike suspected that this was a test run for Ashlyn as much as it was for him. He'd never been friends with, much less dated, anyone like Ashlyn. And with the media spotlight firmly trained on her in Star City, he knew that she didn't often date, or at least not seriously. He was hoping to change her mind about that.

Ashlyn looked up at his approach, and her expression brightened immediately. "Hey, you. How were the interviews?"

She stood to greet him, and Mike felt the familiar wave of awareness hit him as he kissed her cheek. He waited for her to sit before joining her at the table. "They were great. And I saw your brother this morning. His fast ball is looking pretty good, so I think he'll be moving up the roster soon."

"Nice to know my help is paying off. Who do you think taught him to pitch?" Ashlyn grinned as she raised a hand to get the server's attention.

They had just finished ordering when Mike's phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket and saw Lanie's number on the screen. He looked up at Ashlyn and said, "It's Lanie. She called twice earlier, so I should probably answer this."

She nodded her acknowledgement, and Mike answered quickly. "Hey Lanie – sorry I couldn't talk earlier. What's up?" He heard Lanie's breathing hitch as she tried to speak, and he realized she was crying. Alarm shot through him. "Lanie? What's wrong?"

He heard her sniffle again, and then she said, "I need you to come down to 5th and Knox – Chloe and I were following a lead and some men…. they took Chloe. I don't know where. Can you come?"

Mike was already out of his seat, throwing money down on the table. "I'm leaving now. Are the police there? What about Harry? Did you call him?" A million questions were rapid firing through his brain, but he knew that he needed to keep them to a minimum until he could get to Lanie.

"They're here. Can you hurry?" She didn't have to say it, but he knew she was scared. And that frightened him more than anything because there were very few things in this world that Lanie really feared.

"I'm on my way," he promised. He hung up and glanced at Ashlyn, who had already gotten the bill and was now following him out the door.

"What happened? Is Lanie ok?" Ashlyn asked, clearly concerned about his end of the conversation.

"She's ok, I think, but she said some men took Chloe. She's at 5th and Knox now, so I need to get down there."

Ashlyn looked shocked. "Took her? As in kidnapped?"

"That's what it sounds like, but Lanie was too upset for me to get all the details on the phone," Mike explained, feeling frustrated by his lack of knowledge. "I'll call you later and…"

"No," she interrupted. "I'm coming with you. Chloe's my friend too, and my family has a lot of pull in Star City. I'll call my father, and he can start making calls – the police commissioner, the D.A., the mayor's office, and the governor if necessary. Does Ollie know?"

"I'm not sure. Lanie did say the police and our editor were already there."

With Mike setting a new speed record, it took less than ten minutes for them to arrive. The entire area around 5th and Knox seemed to have been cordoned off, and Mike had to park one block up. He and Ashlyn hurried to the center of activity. Two officers were stationed near the mouth of the alley, and yellow tape had been strung up to keep out the curious onlookers. When Mike flashed his press pass, the officer shook his head. "No press allowed in."

"Look, I know my editor is back there, and it was my friend who was taken. I'm coming in," Mike said insistently.

The officer looked doubtful, but after speaking with someone on his radio, he waved them through. Mike hurried through the throngs of police, eyes scanning the crowd for Lanie. He finally spotted her sitting on the back of an ambulance. "Lanie!"

Lanie looked up as they approached. "Oh my God, Mike," she said as she stood up and threw her arms around him.

Mike hugged her tightly. "Are you alright?" He pulled back to look at her. The knees of her pants were torn, and both of her pants legs had been cut open to reveal bloody scrapes on her knees and left shin.

Lanie nodded as she pulled back and sat down to let the medic continue cleaning the nasty looking scrapes on her left leg. "Road burn – when they grabbed Chloe and pulled her into their car, I tried to go in after her. But one of the men pushed me out, and then they started driving. I was dragged for a couple of seconds before I let go."

"But why were you down here? And who were these men? Were they sources?"

"We were meeting one of Chloe's sources, and I think they must have followed us here. I saw the woman give Chloe a file, but then when those men came after them, Chloe shoved the file back at the woman and she ran. Chloe just didn't have enough time to get away, and I was too far away to get there before they dragged her into their car." Lanie started sniffling again for a moment. "It's related to Helen Jenkins, I'm sure of that. But I have no idea where to start looking."

"When it comes to dirty politics, someone always knows something," Mike replied. "Ashlyn has already called her father, and he's busy putting pressure on everyone straight up to the governor. And you and I are going to put our heads together and figure this out, ok?"

Lanie nodded, glancing at Ashlyn. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Lanie," Ashlyn answered, stepping forward to hand Lanie a cool, damp cloth. "Here, hold that to your head for a minute and take a few deep breaths. Does Ollie know about Chloe?"

"I don't think so. His assistant said he was in a meeting until twelve, and she wouldn't put me through. I tried his cell, but it's turned off."

Ashlyn pulled out her phone. "He needs to know." She pressed a number from her contacts list and waited for an answer. "Hi, Mary Anne, it's Ashlyn. I know that Ollie is in a meeting, but I need you to get him on the phone. There's an emergency that he needs to be aware of."

* * *

Oliver scanned the new documents that Bruce's legal team had just faxed over. "Looks good on my end," he commented.

Bruce looked up from the sheaf of papers he was reviewing. "I'd still like to have the blueprints for the new satellite you're using."

"I'll compromise and let you have access to the feed if you join the team," Oliver said with a raised brow.

"I'm definitely considering it, especially after meeting the lovely Ms. Sullivan," Bruce murmured as he glanced over at his friend. He fought to keep the grin off his face when Oliver gritted his teeth but refrained from responding. In other circumstances Bruce thought he might have seriously pursued Chloe. But ever since he had seen her with Oliver, he'd known that wasn't truly an option. However, it didn't stop him from aggravating Oliver whenever the topic of his lovely sidekick came up because his friend made it all too easy.

There was a knock on the door, and Mary Anne opened it, looking apologetic. "I'm so sorry, but Ashlyn is on line 1 – she says it's an emergency."

"Thanks," Oliver said, reaching for the phone with a concerned expression as Mary Anne closed the door behind her. "Ashlyn, what's wrong?"

Bruce felt a sense of foreboding when Oliver's expression shifted to a mix of anxiety and disbelief. "Whoa, back up. How long ago did this happen?"

Bruce watched as Oliver stood up, already shoving papers into his briefcase. "No, I'm coming now. Keep everyone there until I get there." He ended the call and immediately dialed another extension. "Mary Anne, I need you to cancel everything I have for the rest of today and tomorrow as well. I'm going to be out of the office. Ashlyn told me that Chloe was abducted this morning while meeting one of her sources. If anyone from the media calls, refer them to Jay."

Bruce stood, adrenaline already coursing through his veins as Oliver hung up and turned to him. "Chloe was abducted? Where?"

"Ashlyn said 5th and Knox," Oliver replied grimly as he pulled out his cell phone and hit a number. "Vic, I need you to round up the team and get everyone here to Star City ASAP. Chloe was abducted this morning from the alley behind Café Firenze at 5th and Knox. She was apparently meeting a source, so it's likely related to the Helen Jenkins case you've been looking into. Start pulling video as fast as you can from that whole area. I'm headed down there now to get more details, and I'll call you back."

Oliver hung up the phone and stood for a moment, fist clenched against the back of his chair, before he looked up at Bruce. "You're in?"

"Of course," Bruce replied. He stepped forward and clapped Oliver on the shoulder. "I have an extra set of gear stored on my jet – we'll find her, Ollie."

"Damn right we will," Oliver said grimly. "I'm going down to talk to them now. You get what you need, and I'll meet back up with you when the team arrives. We don't need to call attention to your involvement here, especially if Batman will be making an appearance in Star City tonight."

Bruce nodded. "Just tell me where you need me and I'll be there." He watched as Oliver strode out the door, aggression rolling off him in waves. He called his driver quickly and started mentally prepping for what was coming. He had a feeling he'd need to help keep Oliver grounded on this mission.

* * *

Oliver slammed on the brakes as he got close to 5th and Knox, the throngs of media and police making it impossible for him to continue. "Dammit!"

He backed up and parked one street over before jogging toward the center of activity. Police were everywhere, and tape had been strung up to block the alley. Oliver could see some forensic technicians photographing the street and taking measurements. _Tire treads_, he thought.

He scanned the crowd quickly for a glimpse of Ashlyn, Lanie or Mike. He moved under the tape but was immediately blocked by a burly policeman.

"Sir, you can't go back there," the man advised but faltered when he got a clear look at Oliver. "Mr. Queen, I'm sorry, but…"

"Get out of my way," Oliver said shortly as he stepped up nose to nose with the officer blocking him.

The officer hesitated briefly before moving out of Oliver's way without further protest. Oliver walked toward the alley and finally saw Mike and Ashlyn standing near an ambulance. Lanie was seated on the back of the ambulance, and two plainclothes detectives were making notes as they spoke to her.

Ashlyn saw Oliver first as he approached the group, and she stepped forward to hug him, relief evident on her face. "God, Oliver, the media is all over this. My father has already started making calls to see what help he can give us, but he kept it quiet. I don't know how everyone found out so quickly."

"Chloe's a reporter with a well-respected newspaper," Mike said. "And once people at the office found out, there would have been no keeping it under wraps."

"And it happened in broad daylight – and I screamed so loudly that half the people in the area businesses came outside to see what was going on," Lanie commented. Her eyes were still red rimmed as she bent her leg gingerly, testing her balance as she stood.

"Whoa, you need to stay off that leg. You have a minor sprain," the medic warned.

Lanie's voice rose as she replied, "My friend was abducted, and it's already been two hours. I am not going to just sit here and wait around for her to show up."

Oliver stepped forward and put a hand on Lanie's arm. "Lanie, we'll find her, I promise. Right now I need you to tell me everything you can about what happened."

Lanie nodded, taking a deep breath as she began speaking. "We came here to meet Samantha Sutton. And Chloe said she had promised you that she wouldn't meet anyone alone, so I came with her. She tried to call you and a couple other people, but she couldn't pass it up, you know? She's been looking for this woman for months."

Oliver sighed as he tried to tamp down his frustration. He knew Chloe well enough to know Lanie was right. Chloe would never have given up an opportunity to meet with that source – not when she'd been looking for her for so long. "I know."

"I was at the end of the alley. I saw Samantha come from behind Chloe – there," she said, pointing to a faded red door with peeling paint. "She gave Chloe a big file folder, and they spoke, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. And then this dark sedan came tearing around the corner. Chloe shoved the folder back at Samantha, and Samantha ran, but this man got out of the car and grabbed Chloe before she could get away. I started running and screaming. I saw him hit her before he pulled her into the car."

Oliver made a conscious effort to swallow his anger. "Was she conscious?"

"I don't think so," Lanie answered, fresh tears welling in her eyes. She wiped her face before she continued. "I tried to go into the car after them. I saw two men in the back, and there was the driver. I'm not sure if anyone was sitting in the passenger seat up front. They pushed me out and started driving; I tried to hold on but I couldn't. I'm so sorry."

"Lanie, it's not your fault," Mike said, placing his arm around her shoulders.

Oliver turned to the detectives. "Did anyone else see anything?"

Whether it was Oliver's authoritative manner or his standing in the community, the detectives didn't question his right to the information. "A few witnesses saw the sedan leaving the alley. Dark, four-door, no make or model. Partial California plate number 4NZZ. One man looked out the window of the café storage room when he heard the screaming, and he confirmed that the man who grabbed Ms. Sullivan hit her. Said it looked like she bit him first. She apparently fought back pretty hard, but the witness said it looked like she was unconscious when the perp pulled her into the car. We've got officers canvassing the area and trying to get video from security cameras."

Oliver knew Victor could get the video much more quickly, and he could also access traffic cams to find out where the car went after turning out of the alley.

"Ten to one says that sedan will turn out to be stolen," the other detective remarked. "The city just installed new traffic cameras, and they cover every city block downtown and most blocks as you move into the residential areas. Perps around here know that, and grabbing a woman in the morning with witnesses tells me they weren't worried about the car being seen."

"What about Helen Jenkins?" Oliver asked. "Chloe has been on this story for months, and the source she was meeting was tied to that case."

Glancing at his partner, the first detective replied, "We don't have any evidence that the councilwoman had anything to do with this."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Oliver's voice held a dangerous edge. "That woman's career is off the rails because of Chloe's investigation into her organization. She's looking at an indictment. You don't think she'd want to stop Chloe from meeting with someone who could connect her to weapons trafficking?"

"Mr. Queen, we understand that you're upset about your girlfriend, and the department is putting all available resources into this matter."

The detective's placating tone infuriated Oliver. "All available resources. Right. Let me be very clear about something here, detectives. Ever since Jenkins' dirty laundry came to light, I've been hearing some interesting things about dirty politics in Star City. And where the politicians are dirty, dirty cops aren't far behind. So if something happens to Chloe and I find out that your department didn't turn over every damn rock from Helen Jenkins on up, I will make it my personal mission to clean house."

"And the _Gazette_ will help him do it. Whether you want to admit it or not, Jenkins is in this up to her ass."

Oliver turned to see a tall man who appeared to be in his early sixties standing near Lanie. A shock of salt and pepper hair fell over his brow, and his craggy face was set in hard lines. He held out his hand to Oliver. "Harry Kiesler, Chloe's editor. Don't think we've officially met."

Oliver shook his hand. "Chloe speaks highly of you."

"Chloe is a damn fine reporter," Harry replied gruffly. "And a good kid. I've got every one of my reporters checking in with sources."

"I know you have a budget for sources. I'll personally cover it if you have to go over," Oliver said.

Harry nodded before turning back to Lanie and Mike. "You two are relieved of your regular stories today – I know you'd be working this angle even if I told you not to."

"Yes sir," Mike answered. He glanced down at Lanie. "We need to start with your sources Lanie. You've got contacts with the city, but mine won't be as helpful since they're largely in the sports field."

"Ok." Lanie began going through her phone's contact list, brow furrowed in concentration. "Maybe this guy…"

"Ollie, my father has been making calls. He's talked to the police commissioner, the D.A., and the governor so far. He's made it very clear that priority number one should be finding Chloe. The mayor was unavailable earlier, but Dad said he'd keep trying." Ashlyn met Oliver's eyes, her expression serious as she continued quietly, "I'll let you know if he finds out anything new. And Ollie - whatever you're planning, please be careful."

Oliver kept his expression contained though her last words startled him. It was almost as if she knew he had his own plans to get Chloe back. He dismissed the idea just as quickly. "Right now I have to go back to the office. But I'll be checking in regularly."

"You're leaving?" Lanie's tone was incredulous as she stood to face Oliver.

"I left a client at my office, so I have to wrap that up. But I'll be working things from my end, and I'll check in." Oliver could see that his explanation was only serving to anger Lanie further. He turned to the detectives. "I'll be in touch with the police commissioner today. I trust we understand each other?"

Both men nodded. They looked irritated by Oliver's high-handedness but wisely refrained from commenting on it as they turned away to confer with the forensic technicians. Harry's phone rang, and he excused himself from the suddenly tense group to answer it.

Mike looked at Lanie, who was still staring at Oliver. "Lanie, he can probably be most helpful by putting pressure on the city officials. He and Ashlyn's father have clout that we don't have and you know that."

"He could be most helpful by being here," Lanie retorted angrily. "Is your client more important than Chloe?"

"Of course not," Oliver said, struggling to hold onto his temper. "But I have responsibilities. My assistant is busy rescheduling everything as we speak, but I have to update my PR people on this situation so they can prepare a response for the media. I'll also be meeting with the police commissioner and anyone else I think might be able to give us more information on Jenkins. She must have a network of informants and dirty city officials. She'd never have gotten away with this for so long otherwise."

Lanie's mouth tightened and she shot Oliver a dismissive look. "Fine, you do whatever it is you need to do. I'll find her myself." She turned away and limped off to make a call.

Mike ran a hand over his jaw as he shrugged at Oliver before following Lanie. Oliver sighed, wondering how much he was going to have to work at it to get on Lanie's good side again.

"Oliver, Lanie's just upset right now. She'll come around." Ashlyn's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah,sure," Oliver replied flatly. He somehow doubted it would be that easy. "I'll call your dad and get an update. Are you staying here?"

Ashlyn glanced at Mike, biting her lip somewhat anxiously. "For now, I'm staying. My driver is here waiting in case I need a ride home. I'll call you if we find out anything that can help you."

Oliver reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thanks, Ash."

He turned and walked quickly back to his car, dialing Vic's number as soon as he slid behind the wheel. "Tell me you guys are already here."

"We're at the penthouse," Victor confirmed.

"Good. I'm on my way now, and we'll be up one team member for this one. Did you manage to reach Clark?" Oliver knew that Victor would have called Clark right away for something like this.

"He's not answering, but I'll keep trying."

"Alright, I'll be there in twenty." Oliver disconnected the call and sent a message to Bruce to meet him at the penthouse before pulling into traffic. He tried to clear his mind. _Focus on the mission_, he thought. He knew that was what he needed to do, but the problem was that Chloe wasn't just a mission. Her abduction was very personal, and he knew his emotions were getting in the way of clear thinking.

He and Chloe had been walking a fine line with their friendship lately. He knew it, and she was also aware that they were drifting ever closer to a new phase in their relationship. He'd been debating it in his head for weeks, wondering if going any further with her was really the best idea. But his concerns aside, he wasn't sure he could stop what he was feeling for her now. Little by little those feelings had crept up on him, and he wanted her more intensely than he could ever remember wanting another woman.

Oliver wrestled with his thoughts as he sped through the downtown traffic, mindful of the hours that had already passed since Chloe was taken and praying that he wasn't already too late. The one thing he was sure of was that he could no longer ignore what he was feeling for Chloe. And when he got her back, he was going to tell her how he felt.

**A/N: So I know you guys are probably wondering about Chloe. I'm going to try to edit the other half of this and get it up this week, but I wanted to go ahead and post what I edited this weekend (Thursday and Friday are my weekend days now.) This whole part was just really too long for one post, and I didn't have time to edit it all anyway. As most of you know, I moved to Saudi Arabia for a teaching job about a month ago, so life has been slightly chaotic. I'll get to all updates (Letting Go, Shadows, and the Baby Queen series) as time allows, so sorry for delays. Just know I'm working as much as I'm able on them!**

**At my LiveJournal page I now have a Master Fic List. There you will find links to all stories, as well as summaries for two new Chlollie stories I've begun outlining. I also have a blog about my life here in Saudi Arabia if you're interested. First entry is up and linked on my Master Fic List, second entry coming in the next day or so.**

**If you visit the page for Letting Go, you will find photos of the original characters. I've now added photos for Mrs. Chandler and some new ones for Ashlyn. You will also find links for dresses that I'm considering for events coming up in the story such as Chloe's birthday party and the QI Charity Gala. If you have an opinion on who should wear what, please share!**

**Up Next: Batman joins Ollie and the JL boys to search for Chloe as Mike and Lanie follow their own trail. When they run across each other in the field, sparks fly between Lanie and the Bat. Meanwhile, Chloe finds out who's really behind the weapons trafficking and just how much danger she's in as Oliver races against the clock to get to her before it's too late. **

**Thanks to all my readers and reviewers – I hope you're still loving the story! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Chloe was testing the strength of her bonds when the door opened. "Goon 1 – so nice to see you again. I'm guessing you've been busy getting busted by your boss for abducting me. I mean, Helen Jenkins is in enough trouble without adding kidnapping and assault to her charges, and my abduction _in broad daylight_ must be making national headlines by now." She made a tsking sound and shook her head. "I assume you're the brawn rather than the brains on her little goon squad."

Goon 1 stared at her, hands relaxed at his side, his serpent like eyes void of any emotion whatsoever. "Time to go. And Jenkins isn't the boss."

Chloe felt a chill course through her veins and her heart sank. She'd been hoping they'd just forget about her long enough for Ollie and the team to find her. "So you do speak English."

He didn't answer her as he pulled out a large switchblade which he used to cut the bindings tying her legs together. "Stand up."

She pressed her lips together, determined not to make a sound as a slow burn replaced the numbness in her legs. She managed to get to her knees, but when she didn't move fast enough, he jerked her up by the back of her shirt. She felt the fabric give a little in the back. "Easy there, Fezzik – that's a vintage shirt."

She'd been needling her large, mostly silent abductor ever since regaining consciousness in the small room where they'd been holding her for at least a few hours. She'd hoped he might give away some information about where she was and what they were planning to do with her, but he seemed immune to her verbal jabs and barbs. Her bag was with Samantha Sutton since she'd shoved it at the other woman just before she'd been grabbed. She knew Victor could easily track the GPS in her phone and if the team could find Samantha, she hoped they could use whatever information she gave them to find her. If she got out of this – _when_ she got out of this – she'd be lucky if Oliver didn't decide to implant the GPS chip under her skin.

Hands still tied before her, Chloe stumbled down the hallway. When her escort opened the door at the end, she wasn't surprised to see Helen Jenkins. It was her companion that sent a jolt of fear through her body as she realized her chances of getting out of this alive were even lower than she'd anticipated.

* * *

Oliver paced, hands clenched as he waited for Victor to hack the cameras inside the warehouse. The entire team was assembled for this mission, and they'd welcomed Batman's involvement given the high stakes.

After Victor traced Chloe's phone to the small motel where Samantha Sutton was hiding, the reasons for Chloe's abduction had become a lot clearer, and it had only taken a couple of hours to find the warehouse where they suspected she was being held. With dusk setting in, they'd staked out a neighboring building; while Oliver and Bruce were inside with Victor, Dinah, AC and Bart were patrolling the perimeter.

Oliver turned back to the window and looked at the warehouse. Chloe was in there – he could feel it, and to be so close and yet still unable to help her was killing him. "Cyborg, status."

"Almost there, man."

Bart's voice came across the com link. "Bossman, we've got company."

"Who?" Oliver asked.

"Watchtower's friends from the paper. What do you want us to do?"

Lanie and Mike? What the hell were they doing there? "Bring them in."

Within minutes, a very angry Lanie was escorted in by Dinah while a more subdued but watchful Mike was accompanied by Bart and AC. Since the mission was taking place on home turf, Oliver had insisted on full disguises for everyone. Bart was hooded, and red and black paint around his eyes distracted from his features. AC wore a hood and half mask, and Victor looked more like a Robocop than a human at the moment.

Lanie froze when she saw Oliver. "What's going on here? Are you looking for Chloe?"

Bruce moved to stand near Oliver, and Oliver saw the first hint of real fear on Lanie's face. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here looking for Chloe Sullivan. Jenkins has old mob connections no one knew about, and my sources led us here – this warehouse is still in her father's name. And if I don't call my editor within the next five minutes, this place is going to be swarming with police."

Oliver cursed. "And if that happens, they'll kill her. The only advantage we have is the element of surprise."

"If you're here, you must know who's in this with Jenkins. They were never planning to let Chloe go anyway. Please just let us get Chloe out. Then you can go after the others."

Bruce stepped forward. "You're going to get your friend killed if she's not dead already."

"She's alive," Victor said suddenly. "I'm in, and I have eyes on her. She's with Jenkins and Whittaker now."

Bruce made a move towards Lanie, and Mike lunged forward, taking AC by surprise. Bruce gassed him, and he slumped to the ground.

"Mike!" Lanie screamed and kicked back at Dinah as Bruce turned his attention in her direction once more.

"Enough!" Oliver looked at Dinah. "Let her go."

Lanie rushed to Mike and checked his breathing. "What did you do?"

"It's just a sleeping gas," Oliver replied. "He'll be fine. But Chloe won't if you don't start trusting me. I can get her out."

"Or she'll be collateral damage when you take down the bad guys," she shot back bitterly. She wiped at the tears spilling down her cheeks. "You don't care about her."

He hesitated, and then he switched off his distorter and removed his dark glasses. "I care, Lanie."

Lanie was stunned into silence as she and Oliver stared at each other. Slowly she stood, stepping carefully around Mike and moving to stand before Oliver. Then she threw her arms around him. "Oh thank God." She pulled back and jerked her phone from her pocket, sending a quick message. "Go – I'll stay here with Mike."

Oliver slipped his glasses back on and walked over to join the team gathered around Victor as they decided on their infiltration points.

When they were ready to go in, Victor looped the feed. "They won't see you coming now. As soon as you're out, I'll notify the task force. They can have first responders here within minutes."

Oliver nodded and flipped up his hood. "Let's go get our girl."

* * *

Chloe was sitting again as she listened to Jenkins and Whittaker argue. Now that she saw them together, it made sense. The mayor and Jenkins had been close when she was on the city council, and clearly there was a history between them that no one knew about.

"It's easy for you to say because my hands are the only ones dirty at this point," Helen was saying. "That girl dying will be the final nail in my coffin, James."

"Well, we can't let her go. Clearly you see that," Whittaker replied. "You created this mess by trying to take care of Sutton yourself instead of notifying me that there was a problem. And you're only creating more trouble now, Helen – you're going to bring down the whole organization that we've been trying to build in your father's name."

_Her father?_ Chloe tried to remember information on Helen Jenkins' family, but she couldn't recall anything specific.

"I'm creating trouble? Your bumbling lackeys created this problem by grabbing her in the first place. Their orders were for Sutton, not the reporter. And worse, she's Queen's girlfriend. The whole fucking city has been in an uproar, and they have the fucking governor involved now. Where is this going to end?"

Whittaker nodded at Goon 1, who pulled his gun and pointed it at Jenkins. "With you, Helen."

Chloe jumped when the shot was fired and stared in disbelief as Helen Jenkins crumpled to the floor, a red wave spreading across the starched white blouse she was wearing. Just then an explosion rocked the warehouse and all the windows exploded seemingly at once.

"What the hell was that?" Whittaker cried, motioning for his goon squad to go. Helen moaned from her position on the floor, but Whittaker barely glanced at her.

_Dinah_, Chloe thought. Knowing it was now or never, she jumped up and ran for the door. Her hands were still tied in front of her, but she managed to get out the door and down the hallway. And then she heard the unmistakable sound of Oliver's distorted voice off to her left. She changed direction abruptly. _Almost there_, she thought, adrenaline giving her an extra burst of speed. But then she felt a blinding pain in the back of her skull, and the world went dark.

* * *

Oliver took out the last guard in his hallway, never slowing down on his way to the room where Chloe was being held. "Cyborg, talk to me, man."

"I lost the feed for a second," Victor said. "Watchtower escaped when she heard us coming – she's moving down the hallway off to your right, but one of the guards is right on her six."

Oliver ran, meeting Bruce at the end of the hallway. "Which way?"

"Left – Arrow, she's down." Victor's voice was grim.

Fear lent an extra burst of speed as he raced toward the small figure lying on the floor. The guard reached for her, but Oliver got there first. He grabbed his throat and took him down, knocking him out with one blow before turning to Chloe. "Jesus."

The entire back of her head seemed to be covered in blood. With shaking hands, Oliver felt for a pulse. It was there, but it was weak. "Cyborg, get the medics here ASAP. She's losing a lot of blood – I don't know if it's a good idea to move her."

"On it."

Bruce kept watch until AC, Dinah and Bart joined them in the hallway.

Bart raced to Chloe's side. "What happened?" He reached out a hand but then pulled back as if afraid to touch her.

"All guards are down," Dinah reported. "Jenkins has a gunshot wound, so she's not going anywhere. Whittaker is neatly packaged and ready for pickup. How is she?" she asked, casting a worried look at Chloe.

Bruce shook his head. "It doesn't look good." Suddenly, sirens could be heard in the distance. "Time to go."

"Sleeping beauty is awake – I'm sending them out now," Victor said. "First responders are almost there – ETA in three. You need to get to egress."

"Arrow, we have to go," Bruce said sharply. "Now."

The team made their way to the back of the building, but Oliver hesitated. He touched Chloe's hand and waited for any kind of sign that she was aware of his presence but there was none.

"Arrow, you gotta go. They're pulling up," Victor warned.

He stood. "Don't take your eyes off of her until they find her."

"I won't."

With one final look at Chloe's still figure, Oliver followed Bruce out of the building.

* * *

By the time Oliver rushed through the emergency room doors, Chloe had been there for more than thirty minutes. The team had made it back to the penthouse quickly, but then Oliver had to wait to be notified of her admission through official channels. He'd also put in a call to Emil, who was on his way down to the hospital.

Lanie, Mike and Ashlyn were already in the waiting room. "How is she?"

"They won't tell us anything," Lanie said. "But maybe if you try…"

Oliver went up to the admissions desk. "Chloe Sullivan was brought in here less than an hour ago. I need to know where she is."

The admissions nurse bit her lip. "Mr. Queen, unless you're family or an emergency contact…"

"Who the hell is her emergency contact if it's not me?"

"A Mr. Clark Kent of Kansas as well as a Lois Lane. They've both been notified."

Oliver slammed his hand against the desk, frustrated. "And they're not here, but I am."

Ashlyn hurried over, obviously sensing that Oliver was about to lose it. "Ollie, calm down." She turned to the admissions nurse. "Look, you must read the papers. Chloe is Oliver's girlfriend – emergency contact or not, he deserves to know what's happening."

Being faced with two of the city's elite citizens was obviously too much for the admissions nurse. "Just… wait over there, please. Let me see what I can find out."

Oliver paced as they waited. Five minutes later, Emil stepped into the room.

"I don't know much yet," he began, "but according to the ER doctor who examined her, she may be in a coma. There was evidence of skull fracturing and hematoma – I don't have to tell you how serious that is. They're prepping her for a CT scan now. I'll be able to tell you more after I see the results."

A sick feeling of dread curled through Oliver's stomach. "When can I see her?"

"It will be a while, Oliver. Let us do our jobs and I'll keep you informed." Emil hurried out, leaving a tense silence in his wake.

Oliver wiped a hand over his face, a mix of fear and leftover adrenaline making him feel like he couldn't breathe for a moment. Finally, he said, "I need to make a call."

He stepped out of the room and dialed Bruce's number.

Bruce answered immediately. "How is she?"

"It's bad," he answered quietly. "I don't know…" he paused, took a breath, and started again. "We'll know more in the next couple of hours."

"I'm sorry, Ollie," Bruce said, his tone full of regret. "I'll tell the others – they've all said they're staying at the penthouse until they know what's happening. Just keep us informed."

"Yeah." Oliver hung up the phone and stared blindly at it for a moment. He'd sent his jet for Lois earlier in the day, but based on the flight plan, he knew she wouldn't arrive for a couple more hours. According to Lois, the paper had booked a commercial flight for Clark and one of the staff photographers that had an earlier flight plan, but she'd been delayed because it fell to her to notify Chloe's other family members.

Clark hadn't arrived yet, so Oliver could only assume that he was unable to get out of flying commercial since he wasn't travelling alone. It would be difficult for him to explain to both Lois and the Planet's accounting department how he got to California if not on Oliver's jet or the flight that had been booked for him.

"Oliver, are you okay?"

He turned to see Lanie standing behind him, twisting her hands nervously.

"I'm fine," he said wearily. "I know you probably have questions…"

"No," she interrupted him. "I mean I do, but that's not important right now. I just wanted you to know that I would never say anything. And no matter what happens now, I know you did everything you could."

"Thanks, Lanie." Oliver followed her back into the waiting room, alternating between pacing with nervous energy and sitting, staring at the floor. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the blood soaking Chloe's blonde hair. Despite Lanie's words, he couldn't help thinking that if he'd moved just a little bit faster, he could've reached Chloe before the guard got to her. And if she died, he'd never get her blood off his hands.

* * *

The first thing Chloe was aware of was the pounding in her head. Squeezing her eyes closed a bit more tightly, she tried to make sense of the confusing jumble of memories. She had managed to free herself while the goon squad was distracted by a break-in, but after that everything was a blank. She finally opened her eyes. There was a dim light which illuminated an IV bag above her. She looked down and saw that she was in a hospital bed. The IV was in her left hand, and her right hand was confined somehow.

Mindful of the pain in her head, she turned carefully to her right and saw Oliver in a chair beside her bed, his notebook computer open and supported in his lap by a lap desk. His left hand was wrapped securely around her right one while he dozed with his head leaning back at an awkward angle. He looked tired and Chloe wondered how long she had been out. She tried to pull her hand away from his carefully, but the second she moved he was awake.

"Chloe?" Instantly alert, Oliver quickly closed his computer and set it aside before taking her hand again.

"Hey," she said quietly, her voice raspy. She cleared it as she realized how thirsty she was. Before she could even voice her need, Oliver was offering her a cup of ice water with a flexible straw. Gratefully, she took several long sips. "Thanks. How long was I out?"

"You were brought in last night," Oliver replied. "Before that, not too long. From the video Vic got, it looked like you were trying to break out while we were breaking in, and a guard clocked you from behind. Emil was a little worried about two blows to your head in the same day, and the ER doctor that first examined you thought…"

Chloe waited, but when he didn't continue she prompted, "Thought what?"

Oliver's hand tightened around hers. "He thought you might be in a coma… they thought blood might be pooling on your brain, and there was concern about a skull fracture. But the swelling was already going down by the time Emil got here. He ordered scans and you definitely have a concussion, but it's not nearly as bad as the first doctor thought, thank God."

"Oh," Chloe said. She took a deep breath as she raised her left hand and probed carefully at the throbbing knot on the back of her head.

"Careful," Oliver warned. "You have a few stitches back there. Not to worry though - the area they shaved can be covered by the rest of your hair."

She smiled a little at that. "Good to know I'm not bald back there." She wondered if her healing power was working to heal her more quickly. It might explain why the first doctor's diagnosis had been grim. Or did it even work that way? She had no idea. "I'm sorry Ollie. I honestly wasn't expecting trouble at that meeting."

Oliver sighed. "I know. But Chloe, we need to talk about how to handle your on-the-job safety."

Chloe grimaced. "Ollie, I feel like all the inhabitants of Oompa Loompa Land are merrily hammering away inside my skull. Could we maybe wait about the lecture I can see you itching to deliver? Next week works for me. Or never – never is good too." She pouted a little as she looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Oliver tried to hold onto his serious expression, but it was clear that his mood had lightened a little. He finally smiled as he leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead before smoothing her hair back. His hand slid to the side of her face. "We are going to talk about this. For one thing, we need to go over safe locations in the city versus the not so safe. That alley was a terrible place to meet anyone. There's even a video of sorts – I was going to give it to you next week anyway. It should help you familiarize yourself with all areas of the city."

Despite her headache Chloe wanted to laugh. "You seriously made me a safety video? Is there a team building seminar too? Because I'd love to see AC and Bart doing trust exercises."

"Hey, when it comes to your safety I'll do whatever it takes." He took her hand again, running his thumb lightly against her skin. "God Chloe, you have no idea how worried we all were – how terrified I was that they'd already killed you by the time I even knew you were gone. And if I had been too late, I don't think I could have lived with that."

Chloe swallowed hard against the sudden lump in her throat. "Ollie, I'm sorry that I worried you. And I swear that I will try to take all possible precautions in the future, but… we both know that with what I do, and what you do, there aren't any guarantees. And if my nose for trouble leads me down the wrong path again, as it probably will, you have to know that I'd never want you to blame yourself."

She watched Oliver lean towards her, his expression serious as he murmured, "Knowing that doesn't change how I'd feel, Chloe."

Chloe held her breath for a moment, eyes locked on his. Something was different between them. The way Oliver was looking at her… it was as if the little dance they'd been doing for months was done, and they were now circling something much, much bigger.

The moment was interrupted by the arrival of first the nurse and then Emil. They checked her vital signs and pupils, and Emil carefully examined the swelling at the back of her head.

"It's miraculous, really," Emil said. "The swelling is going down much faster than I'd have expected. If you continue to improve at this rate, you can probably go home in a couple of days."

Chloe groaned at the idea of being in the hospital that long, but she was feeling too sleepy to protest.

"Chloe, you need to stay awake now that you're conscious," Emil said, noticing the drooping of her eyelids. "At least for a few more hours."

"I'll keep her awake," Oliver promised. "And page Lois – she went to get coffee."

"Lois is here?"

"And Clark… and apparently Jimmy," Oliver replied. "Since this is an official news story, the paper sent a photographer."

"Oh. He and I haven't spoken since I left," Chloe said.

"I never asked, but… why did you break up?"

"Remember when you sent flowers and coffee to me at the Planet after that last big job I helped the team with? He read the note and got the wrong idea about us – in his defense, I had a hard time explaining you giving me a key card to your penthouse."

"Huh – I guess I should say I'm sorry, but I'm not," Oliver finally said.

Despite the chill of the hospital room, Chloe felt warmth blooming through her chest and spreading out to her fingertips. She reached out and grasped his hand. "I'm not either." Whatever was happening between them, she felt ready for it in a way that she hadn't before, and suddenly she couldn't wait to leave the hospital.

Lois arrived, filling the room with the whirlwind energy she always exhibited. She was followed soon after by Clark; and while they still had a lot to talk about to get their friendship back on track, Chloe realized now that they'd be okay.

The hours passed quickly with her visitors taking turns keeping her awake until Emil finally pronounced it was safe for her to sleep. And as she drifted off, it was Oliver who was there holding her hand.

**A/N: Well, this story has been languishing, so I wanted to get this update posted first. Hope it was worth the wait and it won't be so long for the next one if you're still reading. Thanks for all the support for this story – it means a lot that readers love it enough to keep reminding me to post :-) I've gotten behind on responding to reviews, and I'm trying to catch up. I'm overseas, and my Internet connection is not the best most days. **

**Up Next - More on the story of Jenkins and Whittaker, some Chlarky moments, Chloe's family arrives, and the birthday bash is on as Chloe and Oliver start defining what they are. More soon!**


	16. Chapter 16

"_In a surprise press conference today, District Attorney Robert Landers announced plans to indict Star City Mayor James Whittaker, along with former city councilwoman Helen Jenkins, on charges of international weapons trafficking, money laundering, conspiracy, aggravated kidnapping and battery, and attempted murder. Landers stated that his office will work in conjunction with federal prosecutors to determine charges at both state and federal levels._

_Star City residents awoke to the startling news of Whittaker's and Jenkins' arrests following their implication in the kidnapping of Star City Gazette reporter Chloe Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan, the investigative reporter who broke the story on Jenkins' alleged involvement in weapons trafficking months ago, was abducted by force yesterday from the alley behind Café Firenze on the corner of 5__th__ Avenue and Knox Street._

_Sources inside the police department confirmed that Ms. Sullivan was being held in a warehouse near the south end of the city. Upon arrival, police found ample evidence to arrest both Whittaker and Jenkins, along with several others at the scene. Ms. Sullivan was found unconscious inside the warehouse and was then rushed to Star City General Hospital. According to a brief statement issued by hospital staff this morning, she is expected to make a full recovery. Although the circumstances leading to her rescue are still unclear, it is believed that the Star City Police Department, as well as the California Bureau of Investigation, received the information from resident vigilante Green Arrow. _

_Landers confirmed that the warehouse belonged to the late Nicholas Donovan, who was infamous as the head of Star City's notorious mob syndicate before his death fifteen years ago. In another astounding announcement, Landers said police now have evidence pointing to Helen Jenkins' ties to both Donovan and the mob syndicate. Jenkins' popularity among the citizens of Star City assisted Whittaker in his quick rise to mayor, and the two are believed to have colluded together in the misuse of city funds as well as in the use of Jenkins' charitable foundation to mask illegal arms dealing._

_Whittaker and Jenkins are being held pending a hearing to determine bail, though Landers stated he will ask that both parties be denied bail on the grounds that they are considered a flight risk. If convicted of these charges, both Whittaker and Jenkins could face life in prison._

"You know you're supposed to write the news, not be the news, right?"

Chloe glanced away from the news report on TV as Clark entered the hospital room. "I was wondering when you were going to make an appearance."

Clark walked over and sat in the chair beside her bed. "I was here earlier, but you were still sleeping. And Lois has been here, and Oliver, and… I just didn't want us to have an audience the first time we talked. I was afraid it might be awkward."

She couldn't help smiling at that and reached through the bed rails, finding Clark's hand as he met her halfway. "I think it only has to be awkward if we let it be awkward."

Clark scooted his chair closer. "Chloe, I'm sorry. Victor tried to reach me the second the news broke, but I was at the Fortress. By the time I got back, the story was all over the national news and Lois was in full-on panic mode."

"And probably terrorizing everyone around her," Chloe concluded. "Clark, it's ok. I know you would have been here if you could have. Luckily, I'm pretty hardheaded. Now, why were you at the Fortress?"

"I decided a few months ago to start my training with Jor-El."

She raised her brows at that. "And how's that going?"

"Surprisingly well," he admitted. "I guess you could say we've reached an understanding, and he doesn't seem to think my human side is such a liability anymore. It gives me insight into a lot of situations that are outside his experience."

"Such as?"

"He plugged himself into the real world as part of our agreement, and let's just say he doesn't get human behavior at all."

Her laugh turned into a groan. "Ow." She reached to gingerly probe the back of her head.

"Are you ok?" Clark's eyes focused on her head for a moment before he relaxed.

"Did I just get a Clark scan?" His sheepish expression confirmed her theory. "Emil says I'll be fine, you know. And as overbearing as Oliver has been ever since I woke up, I'm sure he triple checked everything. The nursing staff kind of hates Ollie right now, and I'm pretty sure Lois is on their list too."

"At least they knew you were okay by the time we got here," he pointed out. "She started making calls after that."

"I'm aware. Lois told me that my dad will be here tomorrow." Chloe still wasn't sure how she felt about that. She wanted to be happy about it, but things had been strained between them for so long that she didn't know how to find her way back to the relationship they'd had when she was younger.

He nodded. "My mom will be here tomorrow too. And Lois said Lucy and the General are coming, but it might be a couple of days before they arrive. How are things now? With your dad I mean."

Chloe shrugged. "The same I guess. Things have been increasingly weird between us since my last year of high school. First with Lionel and witness protection – I get the feeling that he thinks I ruined his life."

"I'm sure that's not true," Clark said gently. "He loves you. I think the two of you just need to talk."

She bit her lip and nodded, eyes downcast as she plucked at a loose thread in her blanket. If only it were that simple.

"Hey." He reached out and put his hand over hers. "It will work out."

"I'm sorry that things have been so broken between us," she replied, turning her hand over in his and linking their fingers together.

"I think we both had a hand in that, Chloe. I'm sorry that I made you feel like I was manipulating you. And maybe I was, but it wasn't intentional. Everything just felt wrong when you told me that you were leaving."

"Leaving was about me Clark, not you. And my decision to cut the cord between us was a bad one. I thought starting over meant letting go of the past completely."

"I just want to try something," Clark said hesitantly.

Chloe smiled up at Clark as he smoothed her hair back gently, but her smile faded as she met his intent gaze. He was going to kiss her; she was certain of it. And as his hand slid down to cup her cheek, she didn't try to stop him.

His lips were soft and warm, his kiss full of love and friendship, familiarity and comfort. It was something she had dreamed about so many times over the years, and she knew she would cherish this memory of Clark just as she did so many others because in this moment, it was about her. There was no Lana or Lois – she was certain that in this moment, it was only about them. But despite the part of her that rejoiced in finally having him, she knew something was missing. There was none of the passion she felt when she was with Oliver; none of the spark that threatened to burn her alive from the inside out. When Clark pulled away from her, she wrapped her arms tightly around him as she put her childhood love behind her once and for all.

"I love you, Chloe," Clark said, pressing his lips to the top of her head as he hugged her.

"I know," Chloe replied softly. "I love you, too. You know that, right? That I'll always be here for you?"

"I know. You're my best friend, Chloe. And sometimes it feels like it should be more, but we can never seem to get it right. And now there's Oliver."

Chloe sighed and pulled away before reaching for his hand again. "Clark, what did you feel just now when you kissed me?"

"I felt loved. It felt safe," he replied without hesitation.

Knowing how important it was to get this right, Chloe tried to channel her emotions and her thoughts into a coherent response. "But when you're in love with someone, it's not always safe, Clark. Remember how you felt about Lana? It was about the fire, and it was passionate. That's what I feel when I'm with Oliver. And it's messy, and it hurts sometimes, and it's complicated… because of you and because of Lois. And I think deep down you know that I'm right, and you deserve to have that with someone else. Because we'll never be that for one another – not now. I think this is how it was always meant to be with us."

Clark was silent for several minutes, staring at his fingers twined with Chloe's. "I know you're probably right, Chloe," he finally said, his eyes meeting hers. "But there's still a part of me that doesn't want to let go of you completely."

"You don't have to let go completely," she said with a watery smile. "That's where I messed up, Clark, and I'm so sorry that I hurt you, that I hurt both of us that way. Moving forward doesn't mean you have to let go completely. You just have to hang on a little less tightly and give yourself room to grow."

Clark smiled back at her. "Since when have you been so smart?"

Chloe snorted. "Since birth?" She slid her fingers away from his for a moment before linking her pinky finger with his. "Besties forever, right?"

"That's a promise," Clark replied, remembering for a moment a much younger Chloe who had given him his first kiss all those years ago. He smiled wistfully. "I'll always be here for you too, Chloe. And I hope Oliver recognizes how lucky he is to have you in his life."

"He gets me, Clark," she answered softly. "I know that he often exudes a careless, flippant attitude, and it seems like he doesn't always take his relationships with those around him seriously, but he cares about people – about the world – more than anyone realizes. He wouldn't do what he does, or take care of everyone in his life the way he does, if that wasn't true."

"I know," Clark said. He thought about Oliver's tension and fear as they waited for Chloe to wake up. Whatever Chloe's feelings were for Oliver, it was clear they were reciprocated. "I just want you to be happy Chloe."

"I am happy. And a lot of that has to do with you being here right now. How long are you staying?" She leaned back against the pillows.

"I'm here through the QI gala. Since I came early because of your kidnapping, my editor told me to stay and do a piece on that story, too. And Lois is already planning your birthday party."

Chloe raised a brow. "Then you'd better keep that super hearing tuned in and derail her if she starts getting too crazy with her ideas, especially if she gains Ollie's financial support. There are weekends in Vegas ending in blackouts and 24 hour marriages that seem tame in comparison to some of the birthday bashes I've seen her throw."

A knock on the door interrupted them, and they both turned as Emil Hamilton walked in. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have some of your tests back, Chloe. I just want to go over them with you."

Clark looked back at Chloe. "Do you want me to leave?"

She shook her head and looked at Emil, who shut the door and made his way over to the foot of her bed. "So what's the verdict?"

Emil adjusted his glasses. "Chloe, I've been monitoring your progress. At first when the emergency room doctor gave me his prognosis and it didn't match up with the tests that came back, I thought he had just made a mistake; he could have been tired, and head injuries are tricky to begin with. Now, I don't think that's the case."

Chloe tried to ignore the little burst of anxiety she felt and asked, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I think you are somehow healing at an accelerated rate," he answered. "So I ran some blood tests on my own – they're not officially part of your chart."

She nodded. "And you discovered my meteor infection."

"So you do know." Emil glanced at Clark.

"Clark knows too."

"And Oliver?" When Chloe shook her head, he continued. "Do you mind telling me what you know of your meteor abilities?"

"I can heal people of injuries. But I only discovered that last year, and it's never worked when I've injured myself before. This is not my first hospital encounter by a long shot," she pointed out.

"There could be a lot of explanations," he mused thoughtfully. "It's possible that your healing ability is getting stronger. It's also possible that it only kicked in because of the life threatening nature of your injuries. If the first doctor was correct, you most certainly could have died."

"Well it's sort of a moot point now – I'm fine." She couldn't help feeling a little defensive any time the subject of her meteor ability came up. She'd spent months in Star City trying to forget, trying to be normal for a change, and the reminder that she was a freak wasn't welcome.

Clark raised a brow at her dismissive tone. "Chloe, he's just trying to help. And the more we know about your ability, the better. It wouldn't hurt to have Emil looking into it from the medical side."

After a moment of silence she said, "I don't want Oliver to know. Not right now anyway."

"Chloe, you're still my patient. And even though Oliver pays me for help with the team, I won't violate doctor/patient confidentiality unless you tell me that's what you want."

"Fine," she sighed. "What do you want to know?"

* * *

Oliver whistled as he headed towards Chloe's room, stopping when he saw Lois seated in the waiting area. He handed over one of the coffees he was holding. "One hazelnut, black. And may I say that your coffee order is a hell of a lot less complicated than Chloe's?"

She took the cup and said, "I'd wait about going in if I were you. Clark's in there, and they looked like they were having a moment."

"A moment, huh?" Oliver sat down, wondering how to take that. "Of the good or bad variety?"

"More like of the kissing variety," Lois replied bluntly.

The jealousy that ripped through Oliver took him by surprise. He reminded himself that he and Chloe were still in the friend zone. But he knew there was something more between them; not for the first time he wondered how Clark fit into that. "Well. Friends kiss, right?"

"I think Clark has had more than friendship on his mind ever since Chloe left," she explained. "That possibility has always dangled between them; one will feel it, and then the other, but never at the same time, you know? At least, not since early on in high school. There was Lana, and then Jimmy, and then Lana again. It's why I didn't try to talk Chloe out of leaving. She needed the distance." She picked at the sleeve on her cup, something Oliver remembered she only did when she was upset.

Oliver kept his eyes on Lois, wondering if he was imagining the reason for her distress. "You have feelings for Clark, don't you?"

Her fingers stilled. "This isn't jealousy, Ollie. I would never stand in the way of Chloe's happiness, and she was in love with him for a long time. I'm just not sure Clark is clinging to those feelings for the right reasons, and that worries me."

"And Chloe?"

Lois raised a brow. "I think you'd know better than me, wouldn't you?"

"It's not like that between us."

"Please. The media have been running photos of the two of you for months. And if a picture is really worth a thousand words, yours scream love, lust, and too many other things to even list right now. So tell me again how it's 'not like that' between the two of you." She raised a challenging brow as she took another sip of her coffee.

"It's not… yet, anyway. I do have feelings for her," he admitted. It surprised him how easy it was to admit that to Lois. "But we haven't talked about it yet."

"And what's your impression of Chloe's feelings?"

"That she feels the same way. But it also felt like whatever was going on between her and Clark was hanging there between us. I still don't know what happened there." Oliver was certain that Chloe had feelings for him; he just wasn't sure they were strong enough to compete if Clark had finally decided he wanted her.

He'd been sure there was something more than friendship between them when he first met Chloe and Clark, and it had been months before he found out Chloe had a boyfriend named Jimmy. Even then, he'd figured it was only a matter of time. And when he'd learned that Clark was with Lana again, he was surprised because Chloe knew and accepted all of his secrets, and he could trust her implicitly. He couldn't figure out why Clark wanted a relationship based on lies when there was an alternative – a very attractive one at that.

His thoughts were interrupted when Clark stepped out of Chloe's room and walked over to join them. "According to Emil, Chloe's doing really well today. He's going to keep her for another day or two as a precaution while they're running tests, but he says she can probably go home after that."

"Good. That means the birthday planning can commence." Lois held out her hand to Oliver. "Card, please."

Oliver raised a brow. "Why would I ever give you my credit card, Lois?"

"Because I am being totally cool about my ex having the hots for my baby cousin," she retorted. "And I can smooth over that bump when the parental units arrive because something tells me the General and Uncle Gabe aren't going to totally approve. Now, the black Amex will do nicely."

Oliver smiled and shook his head as he dug out his wallet. "That's a no on the black Amex, but this one should suffice," he replied as he handed over a card.

"I'm buying birthday outfits for me, Chloe and Lucy with this too," she warned, pocketing the card triumphantly.

"I think my card can take that hit. And you should involve Lanie and Ashlyn in the planning. Ashlyn has a lot of pull here, so she can get you into the venue of your choice," he said. Lois had met both women the previous evening, and they'd all seemed to get along well.

She held up her phone. "I have their numbers. Now, I'm going to visit with my favorite cousin for a little while and then I'll get started on the birthday bash planning."

Clark eyed Oliver as Lois walked away. "You realize giving her your credit card may come back to bite you…"

"In the ass?" Oliver laughed. "It's just money. All kidding aside, I trust her. And she has a point about me owing her."

"Because of Chloe." Clark pushed up his glasses.

"You know, I still can't get used to you wearing glasses," Oliver commented. "Whose idea was that?"

"Mom's. She worries."

The two men were silent for a moment, and Oliver wondered if he should be the one to mention the elephant in the room or if he should wait for Clark to bring it up. Then he thought about the two of them kissing. _Screw it_. "So I guess we should talk about Chloe."

"Are you in love with her?" Clark suddenly asked.

The bluntness of the question took Oliver by surprise. "I don't think we're quite there yet, Clark. We're kind of toeing the line between friends and more right now. But to be clear, I do have feelings for her and I'm not walking away from that because I know she feels something for me too. And I'm done ignoring it, so it's something I plan to discuss with her as soon as possible."

"I think having that talk would be good for both of you," Clark finally said. At Oliver's surprised expression, he explained, "I love Chloe. I've always known that much. But trying to figure out the difference between platonic and romantic love where she's concerned has always been kind of difficult for me."

"Maybe that's a sign," Oliver pointed out.

Clark nodded. "Maybe it is. Just be sure before you go to her Oliver. I don't want to see her hurt the way you hurt Lois."

"I think even Lois would agree that things ended with us where they should have," he said evenly.

"It's not an accusation." Clark stood up. "Anyway, I have a story to write up for my editor."

"There are rumors coming out about Jenkins' connection to Donovan," Oliver said. "It's not official yet, but the CBI apparently uncovered payments made from Donovan to Jenkins' mother, and they corresponded with Jenkins' birth. It's widely known that Helen Jenkins grew up on the wrong side of Star City – her mother was a cocktail waitress, no father on the scene. They think now that Donovan was her father. It's probably worth looking into before you write up your story. Just be sure to share that with Lois unless you want to be on the wrong end of her wrath."

"Thanks. I'll see what I can dig up."

After Clark left, Oliver leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. Talking to Chloe about what he wanted from their relationship was something he was eager to do, but he also didn't think the hospital was the place for that discussion. Patience had never been his strong suit, and the enforced waiting was beginning to wear on him. But with Lois' approval and a greater conviction that the only thing between her and Clark was friendship, he at least felt better about broaching the subject with her.

Her birthday was in just over a week, and he thought that might be the perfect time. If everything went the way he wanted, she'd be his date for real on the night of the QI gala. And once he had her, he wasn't letting go.

**A/N: The story will start picking up speed from here, and I'm happy to finally be on the downhill slope with this one. I'll try to keep posting regularly because I'm hoping to finish the story this month. Only 4-5 chapters remaining (depending on where I break the chapters.) More updates soon, and thanks for being patient with me!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Oliver opened the door to Chloe's apartment and stood aside to allow Chloe, Lois, and Lanie to enter. "Ladies first."

Chloe went straight for her sofa and sat, sighing in relief. "I never really get how much I hate hospitals until I find myself an unwilling patient yet again. It is really, really nice to be out of there." She immediately reached for the laptop on her coffee table, but Oliver was faster and snatched it out of her reach.

"Oh no – no work, Sidekick," Oliver admonished, setting the laptop on a high shelf of her bookcase.

"Oliver – I'm fine. And you know how cranky I get when I can't get my Internet fix." She smiled at him. "Please?"

Oliver laughed at her. "Chloe, you're recovering. Emil said you'll be fine to resume most normal activities next week, but until then…"

"Rest." Chloe sighed with displeasure. "Fine. I swear you worry more than all my relatives and Clark combined."

"Aw, you're cute when you pout," he teased her, walking over to sit beside her. He put an arm around her and kissed the side of her head gently. "You want to be a hundred percent for your birthday party, right?"

"Speaking of the birthday bash, I have some calls to make," Lois said, heading for the door.

"Low key, Lois – I'm serious," Chloe called after her before settling against Oliver's shoulder. It felt good to be close to him, and she felt all her tense muscles beginning to relax. His hand came up and stroked down her arm in a soothing gesture, drawing a sigh of contentment from her.

"You know, that nickname makes a lot more sense now," Lanie said with a laugh. "Sidekick."

Chloe straightened up, eyes wide as she glanced between Lanie and Oliver.

"She knows," Oliver confirmed. "She and Mike managed to find their way to the warehouse just as the team was getting ready to go in, and I outed myself to get her to call off your editor. Apparently he was waiting to hear from her and if she missed the call-in, he was going to hit the panic button. I was afraid they'd compromise our plan to get you out."

"Mike too?" Chloe questioned.

Lanie spoke up, a flash of irritation in her expression. "No, Mike was knocked unconscious by the Batman."

"For which he's very sorry," Oliver added.

"What did you tell Mike?" Chloe asked. She'd have to have an appropriate talk with Bruce about knocking out her friends since she doubted he was at all sorry about it.

"After the first responders arrived and we knew you were safe, the fast one – I think you called him Impulse – took us back to my apartment. When Mike started regaining consciousness, I pretended to be waking up at the same time. He thinks I got gassed after I made the call to Harry and I'm as clueless as he is about what happened after that." She shook her head. "I hate lying to him, but I get it. And I'm mad at myself for not figuring it out earlier, especially after the way Green Arrow kissed you that night."

Chloe felt her cheeks warming as she recalled that kiss. "Well, I mean, who's going to guess that Oliver Queen is running around fighting crime when he's not running his company or keeping the tabloids in business? You have to admit – billionaire playboy CEO is a pretty good cover."

"So I guess a lot of the playboy out on the town stories are exaggerated?" Lanie asked.

"Or planted – I've had a few circulated to throw off suspicion in the past," Oliver said. "But mostly the tabloids make up stories to sell papers, and I just let them run with it as long as it's not so defamatory that it's going to hurt the company."

"Well, I'm kind of relieved," Lanie told him. "I had a certain idea about you before I met you. When I started getting to know you that changed, and I could never really find a way to reconcile the two sides of you. It was confusing."

They continued to talk as Chloe got settled back into her apartment. After Oliver left with the promise to return with dinner later, Lois enlisted Lanie's help with some of the party planning, shooing Chloe away when she tried to listen in.

Chloe took the opportunity to have a long, hot bath and very carefully washed her hair. The nurses had rinsed her hair with water before Emil stitched the small wound on the back of her head, and they'd rinsed her hair again two days later, but she still hadn't felt really clean. If she continued to heal at the rate she was, she'd have the stitches out before her birthday which was a definite plus.

After her bath Chloe took a nap, surprised by how tired she actually felt. When she woke up and ventured out to her living room, Lois was gone and Lanie was working on her laptop.

Lanie looked up with a smile. "Hey – feeling better?"

"Yes. It's amazing what a real bath will do for a girl's spirits – not to mention sleeping in her own bed," Chloe replied with a smile. "Where's Lois?"

"Meeting Ashlyn and Mike to discuss your birthday. Just so you know, I think Oliver surrendered his credit card."

Chloe groaned. "Great. I'd really prefer that she not make such a big deal about this, but with our family in town I know she's going to."

"She was kind of frazzled when she first got here," Lanie commented. "I think all of this birthday planning is a way for her to try and forget that you could have died."

Chloe knew Lois, and she knew Lanie was probably right since her cousin had never dealt well with confronting loss. "Mike and Ashlyn seem to be spending a lot of time together lately."

Lanie nodded, putting her laptop away. "I think they're definitely entering new relationship territory. Kind of like you and Oliver."

"We haven't talked about anything yet, but it's different. And now that I've dealt with the whole Clark situation, I feel better about everything," Chloe admitted. "I think what happened between me and Clark was hanging over me a lot more than I realized."

"What exactly did happen between you and Clark? And you and Jimmy, for that matter."

"Clark was… my first love – mostly unrequited aside from a brief period during freshman year in high school," she said softly. "Jimmy was jealous – first of Clark and later of Oliver. I was hiding a lot from him, as you can probably imagine, so I can't say that I blame him."

"Well, he's a very unhappy camper on this assignment. Lois came by the office yesterday, and he was with her. He made some derogatory comments about the photos of you and Oliver, and I seriously thought Mike was going to punch him – or Lois maybe."

"Lois told me that he thinks I cheated on him with Oliver," Chloe explained. "I don't know – in his shoes, maybe I'd think the same thing. I helped Ollie out on occasion, so he gave me the codes for his penthouse in Metropolis. He also sent me flowers and some premium coffee as a thank you for some work I did. The problem is that he sent the flowers to the office and Jimmy read the card. You can imagine how that conversation went since he had no idea Ollie and I were even friends. It must look suspicious to him that after Oliver sent me gifts, I moved to Star City. And just a few months later, we were a tabloid staple. I can't exactly explain that away without telling him secrets that aren't mine to tell."

"You should know he found a sympathetic ear in Gwyn, and she and Lois have already had one confrontation about gossip she was spreading in the office afterwards. I admit that was fun to watch – Lois got right in her face and called her a jealous, skank-ass bitch," Lanie said with a grin. "If Gwyn had the funds for a hit man, I'd fear for Lois' life. I've never seen her that pissed – it was spectacular."

"Okay, your turn to share. Please tell me why you and Gwyn are always at each other's throats."

Lanie sighed, grabbing a pillow from the sofa and hugging it to her chest. "I told you before that Gwyn and I were roommates. And for a couple of years, we were also friends. Gwyn's problem is that she's really competitive – about everything. Her family was poor when she was growing up, so she's had to work to get where she is. I'll give her that. But she can't stand to see someone else get something that she wants, and a lot of people didn't like her because of it."

"I thought people just didn't understand her. But then we were both up for an internship at the Gazette the summer before our senior year. I got in and she didn't. And then there was Mike. I had feelings for him that went way beyond friendship, and she knew that. Mike had no clue of course, and he was always flirting with Gwyn – in a teasing way I guess, but it still hurt. When I got that internship, she started behaving differently towards me. And then I walked into our dorm room and found the two of them… together."

Chloe felt her gut twist in sympathy. "She did it to get back at you?"

Lanie nodded. "And she rubbed my face in it for most of our senior year. She and Mike kept dating – or whatever they were calling it. I don't think it was really serious. Then Mike had that injury a few months before graduation, and she moved on. She'd ridden the high of dating one of the campus basketball stars, and she'd milked every opportunity to make sure I knew Mike didn't have the same feelings for me that I had for him. Her work was done."

"I didn't think I could dislike Gwyn any more than I already did, but I was wrong." Chloe couldn't imagine having her best friend turn on her like that. She and Lana had certainly had their issues involving Clark, but it was nothing in comparison to the hell Gwyn put Lanie through. "How do you feel about Mike and Ashlyn? Are you okay with it?"

"Don't worry. I got over Mike a long time ago, and he and I eventually talked about the whole sordid mess. He was pretty horrified to realize that Gwyn used him to deliberately hurt me. And all's well that ends well," she said with a smile. "The truth is that I think Mike and I ended up where we were supposed to be all along. He's one of my best friends, and I wouldn't trade that for anything."

"That's how I feel about Clark," Chloe said. "I was head over heels for years, and he loved someone else. It hurt – a lot. But seeing him again has really put things in perspective for me. I still love him, and I always will. But for the first time I'm one hundred percent sure I'm not _in_ love with him."

"And Oliver?" Lanie asked curiously.

"I have feelings for him – strong ones," she admitted. "The intensity of it is a little outside my experience."

"That, my friend, is a sign," Lanie pointed out. "And I know Oliver has strong feelings for you. I've never seen anyone as visibly shaken as he was when you were gone, not to mention while we were waiting for news on your condition. He was devastated, Chloe."

Chloe leaned back against the cushions of the sofa, pulling her legs up. There was no question that she and Oliver needed to talk. It was finding the right moment that was going to prove difficult.

* * *

Chloe thought her apartment was beginning to rival Grand Central Station with everyone constantly dropping in to check on her. Her father and the General had finally arrived along with her cousin Lucy, and Martha Kent had followed a day later. They'd been regular visitors since her release from the hospital. Some of her Gazette co-workers also called or came by during her first week at home, and she had received so many flower arrangements that she'd begun giving them away.

"You know, Chloe, we could give some of these to Meadowlark," Mrs. Chandler said, referring to a local assisted living complex. "Or to the retirement center."

"That's a good idea," Chloe replied. "I just can't believe how many people are still sending flowers and cards. I don't even know all of these people – they're just residents of Star City showing their support."

"You did expose criminals within the city government. And then you were kidnapped! In the middle of the day!" Mrs. Chandler shook her head. "It was shocking Chloe. Star City is a fair sized city, but we're not New York. No one expects that here, and they're grateful to you. You're a part of the community now."

"Well, I have to say I like reporting the news more than being the news story. When reporters started calling here, Oliver arranged to have my calls routed to his publicist."

Chloe had resisted at first, but she could admit now it was a good idea. She wasn't allowed to give details about her kidnapping until the trial anyway, or at least not publicly. Lois had wrested the full story from her as had Clark, though she knew neither of them would dream of publishing it. She had given them as much of an exclusive as possible, and she'd also answered questions for Lanie, who had written the story for the Gazette.

Meanwhile, Harry had promised the story was hers again as soon as she was well enough to return to the office; however, he'd informed her that he didn't expect to see her until after the QI gala. Chloe wasn't entirely happy with the forced vacation, but she knew Harry was stubborn and unlikely to change his mind on the matter.

"Oh, he's worried about you. He just wants to make sure you have some peace and quiet while you're recovering," Mrs. Chandler rose from the sofa. "Now, what would you like for lunch, dear?"

Mrs. Chandler remained with her for most of the afternoon until Lois arrived. Chloe suspected some type of arrangements had been discussed without her knowledge because it seemed that she was never alone. When one visitor left, another arrived promptly, and Lois was staying at her apartment even though the Planet was paying for her hotel room. It wouldn't have been so bad except for the fact that it made it nearly impossible for her and Oliver to talk.

That night was yet another example. Her father, Uncle Sam, Lucy and Lois had come for dinner, and they'd been joined by Martha, Clark and Oliver. Oliver had arranged for a high end food delivery service to deliver their meal and even brought over a bigger table for her dining area. The food was excellent and the dinner had been a success despite her uncle grilling Oliver like he would a threat to national security. Oliver hadn't seemed to mind too much, brushing his hand against her back in a reassuring manner when he sensed her agitation. Martha had also been a big help, gently steering the General into other topics of conversation more appropriate to the dinner table.

However, things were still strained between her and her father, and Gabe remained rather quiet during dinner. But he did seem to pay close attention to the conversation and eventually ventured a few questions of his own regarding Chloe's life in Star City. Still, there was no denying that something had been broken in their relationship for a long time and she had no idea how to fix it.

Chloe was still pondering this after they finished dinner and everyone was preparing to leave. Lois waited until the others left to make her own departure; she'd suddenly told Chloe she had some work to finish that night and would probably stay at the hotel. Chloe was sure this was Lois' way of giving her and Oliver a chance to talk since Oliver was now going to stay with her in Lois' place.

She didn't need a babysitter no matter what the others thought. But she wasn't about to turn down a chance to have Oliver all to herself for the night either. The kitchen and dining room had already been cleaned up since everyone had pitched in after dinner. Chloe sat down on the sofa and immediately yawned.

Oliver smiled at her. "Why don't you go ahead and get ready for bed? Mrs. Chandler told Lois that you didn't take a nap today."

"The fact that I even still need a nap bugs me," she grumbled, standing up. She had been out of the hospital for almost a week and was ready to get back to normal – or at least normal for her. She'd had a few headaches at first but they seemed to be gone now, and she felt mostly recovered from her head injury.

She'd admitted to Emil on one of his home visits that she was more tired than usual. His response was that she should pay attention to her body's signals and sleep more if that's what she felt she needed. He'd already expressed disapproval over her usual sleep pattern and the coffee consumption that accompanied it. Since she couldn't go to work and her Internet time was being closely monitored, she'd given in to the urge to sleep after lunch every day.

Chloe ran a hot bath and added some of the expensive bath crystals that been part of a huge relaxation gift basket from Oliver to welcome her home. She'd already made repeated use of the bath pillow and bath products such as the fragrant bath crystals, shower gel, body butter, and herbal shampoo and conditioner that smelled like vanilla beans and lavender. The basket had also contained a set of super soft sheets that made her bed feel like heaven, as well as a selection of aromatherapy candles, a gel eye mask for her headaches, and a set of silk pajamas with a matching lined robe.

She relaxed against the bath pillow until the water began to cool. She took her time getting ready for bed these days – smoothing on the body butter while her skin was still damp, moisturizing her face, hands and feet. She'd also been dotting on the same eye cream that Martha swore by, telling her that her skin would thank her in another twenty years if she started young. It wasn't until she was forced to slow down that she really saw how much she rushed through life. It was possible that Emil had a point about her crazy, self-inflicted schedule.

Chloe dressed in her pajamas and robe, slid her feet into her bunny slippers, and went to find Oliver. He was on the phone, talking business from the sound of it, so she went back to her bedroom to wait for him to finish. She lit a couple of the aromatherapy candles, set her table lamp to the dim setting, and curled up against the pillows.

She must have dozed off because when she woke, Oliver was blowing out the candles and the clock showed that an hour had passed. She could see that he'd had a shower. His hair was still damp and he was wearing pajama pants and a T-shirt.

"Hey," she said softly.

He turned to her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

She reached out a hand to him. "I was waiting for you to finish your call. We've barely had a chance to talk since I got out of the hospital."

Oliver took her hand and slid onto the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist as she turned into him. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. How has your week been?"

"Not bad actually. The whole city has been in such an uproar about the Whittaker-Jenkins scandal that the business world has been pretty damn quiet in comparison. I'm sure that'll end soon, but I'll enjoy it while it lasts."

"Things have been quieter here too. I admit that your idea to have my home phone calls routed to your publicist was a good one. The reporters are still buzzing around – they've tried contacting my family and co-workers, and the super has even caught a few sneaking into the building."

"I heard. That's been taken care of," Oliver replied grimly.

She looked up at him. "They didn't get an arrow in the behind, did they?"

He laughed at that. "No, but that's not a bad idea. Then they'd have a new story."

"I don't think I have to worry about my neighbors looking for their fifteen minutes though. I don't know all of them, but Mrs. Chandler knows everyone in the building. Everyone loves her, and they know we're close."

"You're pretty popular yourself these days," Oliver commented. "I haven't heard of a single unflattering news story about you recently, and I've had Jay checking coast to coast. And speaking of Jay, he's been issuing a lot of 'No comment' statements regarding us. He thinks a lot of the media speculation would die down if I release a more specific statement about our relationship."

Chloe felt her heart skip as nervous butterflies fluttered against her ribcage. "What would you say?"

"That's up to you, I guess. I know what I want to say, Chloe. I feel something for you that I've never actually felt before – with anyone. And I know we haven't talked about it, but I was kind of hoping that I'm right about you feeling it too."

Chloe shifted to look up at him. He was beautiful in the dim light of her bedroom, his expression expectant and hopeful. She placed her hand along his jaw, stroking lightly. "I feel it."

Oliver pulled her higher against him and kissed her gently. They lay together that way for several minutes, sharing slow kisses that made her feel warm and safe and cared for. She'd felt different things with Clark and later with Jimmy, but she'd never felt even a fraction of the emotion that crept into every fiber of her being when she was with Oliver.

When he pulled back, he cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "I propose that we let Jay release a statement confirming that we're dating, we're happy, and we won't be giving interviews since we both appreciate our privacy. And I'd like to do it before your birthday and let the worst of it blow over before you go back to work. How does that sound?"

She couldn't help giggling. "It's just funny that we're releasing a statement telling people we're dating before we've actually been on a real date. Our lives are weird."

"Not gonna argue with that. And I will definitely be taking you out on a real date as soon as Emil says you're a hundred percent," he told her.

"I am so looking forward to that," Chloe said longingly. "And the date, of course. How soon do you want to do this?"

"Tomorrow?" Oliver suggested. Noting her hesitation, he asked, "What's wrong?"

She bit her lip. "I think I should tell my dad in person. He's not big on asking questions about my life anymore, but the topic of you did come up while I was still in the hospital and I told him we're just friends. There are so many things I've had to lie to him about over the years. I just don't want him to think this is another one of those things. Maybe it won't matter to him, but still…"

"I couldn't help noticing your relationship with your dad seems awkward," Oliver commented. "How long has it been that way?"

"Since high school. You know about my problems with Lionel and the trial. He left Smallville for work after that whole mess, and I chose to stay and finish high school. The time apart seemed to drive a wedge between us, and then I found out about Clark. I accept my share of the blame. I thought keeping my distance made things safer for him, but I guess it hurts that he doesn't try harder."

"You know what I saw when I looked at your dad tonight? I saw a man who wanted to connect but didn't know how. He probably feels like he doesn't know you anymore, and I can imagine that's a terrible feeling to have about your child. Try extending the olive branch – if he doesn't take it, it's his loss."

"Maybe I can call him in the morning and ask him to come over for lunch," Chloe said tentatively. "Mrs. Chandler always makes too much food anyway. I'll need to start dieting if I don't go back to work soon – otherwise I won't fit into my clothes."

Oliver pinched her hip playfully, and she squealed. "I think you're fine. I happen to like what I feel back there."

"Says the man with no fat on his body," she joked. "Why don't you tell Jay to get the statement ready, and I'll call you as soon as I've talked to my dad… and Lois, Lanie, and Clark. I'll let Clark and Lois deliver the news to Martha and Uncle Sam so they're not taken by surprise. And I guess I should call Lucy – her feelings will be hurt if she hears it from Lois. At the latest, Jay can probably release it the day after tomorrow."

"I'll give Ashlyn a call," Oliver said. "And the team – they're all sticking around until after your birthday party. None of them will be surprised, but they should hear it from one of us and not the tabloids."

"How bad do you think the tabloids will be?" That was the one part that filled her with a sense of trepidation. While it was true that she'd become more accustomed to the cameras that often followed Oliver around, she still felt weird knowing that people were taking her picture whenever they were out together.

Oliver sighed. "I won't lie – you'll probably want to hide for the first couple of days, and paps will be desperate for a photo op. Jay's advice is always to give them what they want to a certain extent – for example, I can take you to lunch the day after he releases the statement, let them get a photo. We'll be attending your birthday party together, so we can let them get a few photos going into the party. Then there's the gala. It should be enough to keep them happy for a while, but if any of them get invasive tell me."

"I'll be fine," she told him. "You know, I think this is the first time I've ever been able to really talk through issues in a relationship. For some reason, Jimmy brought out a petty and snarky side to me when things got complicated. I'm not saying it was always his fault, but placating him could be exhausting."

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but you shouldn't ever feel like you have to pacify me. Just be honest. We'll argue about a lot of things, but that just means lots of making up." He kissed her again to emphasize his point. "Now, we should probably get some sleep. You look tired."

"Stay with me?" She asked softly.

"Happily," he answered her, helping her up so he could pull back the covers.

Chloe removed her robe, suddenly feeling shy even though her pajamas were perfectly respectable, as were Oliver's. But sharing a bed was a big deal even if they did nothing but sleep. She might want to take it further but she knew she wasn't ready yet; not physically and maybe not emotionally. It gave her something to think about.

She allowed Oliver to have the side of the bed closest to the door, knowing he'd likely prefer that. He slipped under the covers with her and reached out to turn off the lamp before turning to her.

"Come here."

She went willingly. Oliver settled on his back, fitting her body against his side as he hugged her close. She shifted to find a comfortable position, feeling the strangeness that came with sharing a bed with someone new after a long period of sleeping alone. Then there was the size disparity – frankly, he was huge and her bed was only a double. She finally looped one leg over his, stretched her arm across his waist, and burrowed her head against his shoulder.

"Comfy?" Oliver asked in amusement.

"Very," she sighed. He stroked her back gently, massaging the back of her neck, and she felt her eyes drifting shut against her will. Because she didn't really want to sleep; what she wanted was to lie awake and enjoy this feeling for the rest of the night.

She and Oliver weren't dancing around their attraction anymore. They'd had a grown up discussion, made decisions, and she felt euphoric. For this one night, she didn't even have to share it. It was all hers – all theirs.

_Maybe that's the key to a successful relationship_, she thought sleepily. _Making sure we keep something just for us._

She was asleep moments later.

**A/N – Birthday bash up next! And if you go to my LJ page (same username) you'll find links at the beginning of this chapter to dresses for Chloe's birthday party and the QI gala. I updated the links a couple of days ago, and the dresses are all new. I've already made final decisions for the birthday dresses, but I have a few options for Chloe's dress for the gala – still deciding. Thanks for reading! More coming soon.**


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